NAMI Mercer plans to commemorate Mental Illness Awareness Week with its seventh annual Harvest of Hope wellness conference on Saturday, October 3, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville located at 2688 Main Street in Lawrenceville.
The theme this year is “Finding Your Voice.” Hakeem Rahim will deliver the keynote address, “Mental Illness Unmasked: A Conversation on Living and Thriving with Mental Illness.” Rahim, an African-American graduate of Harvard and Columbia, began speaking openly about his 16-year journey with bipolar disorder in 2012. Since then, he has told his story to thousands, testified before Congress and devoted his life to ending stigma.
Following the keynote address, attendees will have a choice of wellness workshops, with one session in the morning and another during the afternoon. Workshops will provide a variety of interactive and hands-on wellness experiences. Discover ways to find your voice through self-expression and creativity and in a variety of art forms. Learn to advocate for yourself and others with providers, employers, and decision-makers.
Sponsored in part by a grant from the Lawrence Township Community Foundation, this education event is open to consumers, their families and the general public.
The $15 registration fee includes lunch. Although membership in NAMI Mercer is not required, there is an incentive price of $35 to join and attend the conference. Registration for the conference closes on September 26, 2015. Register online at namimercer.org or print a paper form. For more information, call (609) 799-8994, ext. 17.
NAMI Mercer, based in Lawrenceville, is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness through education, mutual support and advocacy. It is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
