YouStar Foundation held the first suicide prevention 5K walk in the Korean American community last month at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, drawing more than 500 participants. The event, organized ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, aimed to raise awareness of suicide prevention, mental health and the value of life.
Participants included Korean and non-Korean residents, family members and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide, community organization representatives and youth volunteers. Each walker wrote the name of a family member, friend or neighbor they wanted to remember or encourage on their race bib before beginning the 5-kilometer walk.
Clinical psychologist So-Young Sung told participants that suicide should not be seen as a stigma, but as deep pain experienced by someone in need of help. She said the Korean American community has the strength to empathize with others’ suffering and support those in distress so they are not left alone in darkness.
YouStar Foundation CEO So-Yeon Park said even one person’s attention and willingness to stay by someone’s side can make a major difference in a crisis. She urged residents struggling emotionally to use the foundation’s free emotional support warm line at 213-221-2813, which is available daily from 8 a.m. to midnight. More than 20 community organizations also hosted information booths at the event.
