For the last few years, mental health has become a focal point in today’s society. Every year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. For Guam, there has been a group of women advocating that it is okay to talk about mental health awareness.
The premise of TUMA is to encourage people to be more open about discussing mental health. Also, to influence people to be the light for those going through dark moments. The TUMA team has even created a blog on their website as a safe space for people to express themselves through words. Their ultimate goal is to spread mental health awareness to the community, and that it is okay to talk about it.
Jesrae Moylan, the founder of the nonprofit organization TUMA, abbreviated for Talk Up Mental Health Awareness, has been an advocate for mental health since the tragic passing of her brother in 2017. She sought assistance from longtime friends Rhythm Blas, Nicole Ericcson, and Kira Cruz to launch the organization. “After my brother took his life, I was looking for answers as to why he would commit suicide,” said Moylan.
Moylan’s brother Ray Rabe tragically took his life on October 31, 2017. She was close with her younger brother. She said, “We were inseparable. When he passed away, I felt like a piece of me left with him.” Shortly after his passing, she wanted to bring awareness to mental health on Guam. That’s when she started TUMA. “It was a way to honor my brother and a way to keep his legacy alive by talking up mental health awareness.”
Moylan has had major support from her friends Rhythm Blas, Nicole Ericsson, and Kira Cruz. They have collectively come together to spread awareness throughout the community and to give hope to those that are fighting mental health illnesses. They all have the same common goal when it comes to mental health. They want to inspire and motivate the community to be open to talk about mental health awareness. It has also given them the motivation to talk about mental health.
Kira Cruz, the Director of Finance described how much it meant to her to be a part of the TUMA team. “Mental health advocacy has always been an interest of mine since I’ve struggled with my mental health for as long as I can remember,” Said Cruz. She also stated, “The true catalyst that gave me the push to advocate on a larger scale was when my nephew attempted to take his life last year. It was the most traumatizing experience of my life.” Cruz wanted to shed light on the importance of mental health because it was not talked about much when she was younger. She stated, “I did not receive the emotional support that I needed. From what I can recall, I have had depressive symptoms ever since I was in elementary school.” Cruz believes that TUMA has impacted her life in a good way. “TUMA has empowered me to not only advocate for mental health, but to also tell my story.”
You too can tell your story. You are not alone in the fight against mental health. There is a strong group of women that are there alongside you if you ever need to talk, vent, or feel like all hope is lost. If you want to advocate for mental health, you can take the pledge by supporting TUMA and be a part of creating positive change surrounding the topic of mental health. For more information about TUMA, go to https://tumaguam.com/.