On October 4, we hosted our first Chai & Chat.

We sat down with 17 community members to talk openly about teen mental health, how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to help someone who is struggling and how to communicate better with the young people in our lives. Thank you, Joy & Zest Cafe for the warm and inviting space for this conversation. And a big thank you to the community members who showed up on a rainy Sunday afternoon: You didn’t just share and listen, you helped open up a critical conversation around one of the topics that our community is usually not comfortable talking about. The biggest takeaway? We need to continue talking. When we normalize conversations about mental wellness at home, with our kids, and with each other, we make it easier for someone to ask for help. Got questions or topics you'd like us to cover at the next Chai & Chat? Let us know in the comments, send us a DM or email chaichat@raksha.org #ChaiAndChat #TeenMentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #MentalHealthMatters #SouthAsianMentalHealth #Raksha