I’m excited to share a new chapter in both my professional journey and the mission of my business. We have officially joined the New York City Mental Health Collective as a proud member organization and co-sponsor. This coalition brings together diverse voices committed to reshaping how mental health is understood, supported, and accessed across New York City.
As part of this partnership, I have taken on the role of Ethnographer for the coalition—a position that aligns deeply with my background in community leadership and my commitment to ethical, participatory research.
At its core, ethnography is about listening. It seeks to understand communities on their own terms and elevate lived experiences that too often go unrecognized in data-driven conversations about mental health. In a city as vibrant and complex as New York, the mental health landscape is shaped by a wide range of intersecting communities—from youth activists and peer counselors to clinicians, artists, mutual aid groups, and grassroots organizers.
My role is to develop ethical approaches to observation, engagement, and community-based research that reflect the realities of these communities. This includes designing a data strategy grounded in community-informed practices, cultural humility, and respect for privacy, agency, and dignity.
This is not research for research’s sake. It is research in service of action. By co-creating knowledge alongside community members, advocates, and practitioners, we aim to inform stronger programs, deeper partnerships, and more inclusive policy recommendations.
Community organizing plays a central role in this work. As both a business leader and ethnographer, I draw on my experience in leadership development, social impact strategy, and grassroots engagement to help the coalition grow in ways that are sustainable, equitable, and responsive to community needs.
One recent example of this work in action was the Mental Health Mayoral Candidate Town Hall held on May 1, 2025.
Mental illnesses such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia can emerge at any stage of life, often when they are least expected. Across the United States—and especially in New York City—research continues to demonstrate a strong relationship between mental illness and homelessness. Many unhoused individuals face untreated psychiatric conditions while also encountering barriers to housing, employment, healthcare, and social support.
As these challenges have become increasingly visible, mental health has moved to the forefront of public discourse. The Mental Health Mayoral Candidate Town Hall reflected this growing urgency by bringing together candidates, advocates, professionals, and residents to discuss the current state of mental health services in New York City. The event served as a powerful reminder that mental health is deeply connected to housing, education, criminal justice, employment, and public safety.
The town hall was organized through the collective efforts of advocates, researchers, organizers, and community leaders who recognized the urgency of the crisis. In my role as an ethnographer and organizer, I contributed by helping bridge cultural understanding, community engagement, and civic participation.
The gathering demonstrated how research, lived experience, and public policy can come together in a shared space. Too often, mental health conversations remain confined to clinical or academic settings. This event brought those discussions directly into the civic sphere, creating an opportunity for residents, professionals, and political candidates to engage with one another around issues affecting millions of New Yorkers.
Actor, producer, and mental health advocate Chad Coleman underscored the importance of policy in shaping everyday life. As he stated during the event, “The policies that shape our mental health care system affect every single person in this room, this city, and beyond.”
His remarks reflected one of the evening’s central themes: mental health is not an isolated personal challenge. It affects families, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and entire communities. Whether experienced directly or indirectly, the consequences of inadequate care ripple throughout society. For this reason, advocates continue to call for greater awareness, investment, and action around mental health policy.
Each candidate was given 90 seconds to present their perspectives and proposals. While their approaches differed, several common themes emerged, including accessibility, accountability, housing, and stigma reduction.
Dr. Selma Bartholomew spoke about what she described as passive violence within institutions intended to protect vulnerable populations. She highlighted how incarcerated individuals are often denied adequate treatment, nutrition, and healthcare, illustrating how systems can unintentionally worsen mental health outcomes rather than improve them. Her remarks emphasized the growing intersection between incarceration and mental health.
Whitney Tilson focused on city spending and the lack of measurable outcomes associated with existing mental health initiatives. He argued that despite substantial investment, many residents continue to struggle with long wait times, overcrowded emergency departments, and limited access to care. His comments echoed frustrations expressed by many New Yorkers who believe resources are available but not always deployed effectively.
Throughout the evening, speakers repeatedly stressed that the city’s mental health system affects everyone—not just those with diagnosed mental illnesses. Mental health influences public transportation, schools, shelters, public safety systems, and community well-being. In a city as large and densely populated as New York, the effects of untreated mental illness and systemic neglect are often highly visible. The discussion challenged attendees to move beyond stereotypes and view mental health as a shared civic responsibility.
Jim Walden explained that his decision to run for mayor was driven in part by a desire to create a government that better serves vulnerable populations. He emphasized the importance of reducing stigma and ensuring that people experiencing mental illness are treated with dignity and respect. His remarks reinforced the idea that leadership should be measured not only by economic performance, but also by how effectively society supports those most in need.
Michael Blake, former assembly member from the South Bronx and former aide to President Barack Obama, emphasized the need for intentional action rather than symbolic commitments. He advocated for community-based programs, early intervention strategies, and equitable access to healthcare for underserved populations. His perspective reflected concerns shared by many attendees who believe marginalized communities are too often excluded from healthcare reform efforts.
Audience participation also played a significant role in shaping the conversation. Many questions centered on the city’s ability to manage an increasingly complex mental healthcare system amid staffing shortages and growing demand. Residents described waiting months—and sometimes years—for supportive housing placements and psychiatric services.
One recurring concern involved supportive housing programs, where applicants frequently remain on waitlists for extended periods due to overwhelming demand. For individuals already experiencing instability, these delays can exacerbate existing mental health challenges and increase the risk of homelessness, hospitalization, or incarceration.
Ultimately, the Mental Health Mayoral Candidate Town Hall demonstrated how civic engagement, research, and advocacy can intersect to create meaningful dialogue. The discussions reinforced that mental health cannot be separated from broader social structures. Housing, education, healthcare, and criminal justice policies all play a role in shaping community well-being.
As New York City continues to confront growing mental health challenges, events like this remain essential. They raise public awareness, reduce stigma, encourage accountability, and create opportunities for collaboration between policymakers and the communities they serve.
Most importantly, they remind us that mental health is a human issue—one that requires compassion, action, and collective responsibility. I am proud to contribute to this work through the NYC Mental Health Collective and look forward to sharing more stories, insights, and lessons from the field as this effort continues to evolve.
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