Art Center Sarasota Presents “Mental Healthcare in the Latinx Community”

April 5, 2023 – Sarasota

Mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race, color, gender or identity. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their background. However, studies show that people in the Latinx community can experience disparities in access to treatment and in the quality of treatment they receive. To address this issue, Art Center Sarasota is presenting a free panel discussion, “Mental Healthcare in the Latinx Community,” Wednesday, April 12, 6-7:30 p.m., at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The event is presented in conjunction with an exhibit of work by Karen Arango of documentary photography highlighting the need for mental healthcare in the Latinx community. Panelists include Karen Arango, Dr. Stacie Herrera, Yesenia Reta, and Carolina Zuluaga. The event will be held in English with closed captions in Spanish. Participants are required to register in advance at ArtSarasota.org.

 “As an art center it is our mission to support artists and the wellbeing of our community through the universal language of art,” says Kinsey Robb, the center’s executive director. “Karen’s show is a perfect example of bridging the visual arts with community issues to create awareness and provide an outlet for support. This project would not have been possible without the generous support of the sponsorship grant we received from Gulf Coast Community Foundation through the L. Conway Channing Endowment Fund. Through this sponsorship we are able to do something we are not always able to do – support the work of the artist, cover costs for making the artwork, designate gallery space, and organize speaking engagements centered on the themes represented in the exhibiton.”

Dr. Stacie Herrera, who will serve as moderator for this event, is a licensed school psychologist and owner of Herrera Psychology, a youth- focused private practice based in Osprey. Dr. Herrera also owns Telement, a company partnering with Florida schools and youth-focused nonprofit organizations to provide in-school virtual therapy support for students via telehealth. She has spoken nationally on topics related to gifted students and globally on how to engage neurodivergent learners. Dr. Herrera is currently serving on the board of Genius School U.S and JFCS.

Yesenia Reta is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience in school social work, community agency counseling, and private practice clinical counseling, which she has been doing since 2016. Reta specializes in treating adults with struggling anxiety, depression, suffering with symptoms from complex and acute trauma, and issues in relationships such as codependency and emotional neglect. As a Latina, she understands firsthand the complexity of being raised in this culture and as a Christian is aware of the stigma of mental health in both communities. She is passionate about speaking about mental health topics in churches, schools, and community agencies.

Carolina Zuluaga is a first-generation graduate student in her fifth year in the Clinical Psychology Doctorate program at the Florida School of Professional Psychology (FSPP) at National Louis University (NLU). She is currently completing her internship at Center Place Health in Sarasota and completing her dissertation on the impact of COVID-19 on Latinx and Black communities. During her graduate career, she has been involved in various activities and presentations focused on working with the Latinx community and has shared experiences as a Latina graduate student and clinician. She has previous leadership experiences as her program’s Latinx Interest Group co-chair and treasurer for the Student Psychological Association (SPA) and has provided therapy and psychological assessment services to Latinx individuals from all walks of life.

In “Rearview Mirror,” an exhibit currently showing at Art Center Sarasota, the celebrated area visual journalist Karen Arango presents her latest series of community-focused, documentary photographs that showcase individuals who are struggling with mental health issues and/or a lack of mental healthcare available to them due to their socioeconomic circumstances. Through this work, the artist says she hopes to bring a face to those who are struggling, those who are too often forgotten or overlooked and to raise awareness about this critical issue in our community. “Mental health is highly stigmatized within the Hispanic community due to immigration, religion, and personal relationships,” says Arango, who often collaborates with nonprofits to create visual stories that promote awareness of the community’s social needs. “These photographs shed light on the struggles endured by the Hispanic community and start important conversations about mental health and mental healthcare both within and outside of the Hispanic community.”

A portion of proceeds from artworks purchased will be donated to benefit the Women’s Resource Center’s mental health programs. The Women’s Resource Center offers a variety of programs, including low-cost mental health counseling, employment services, resource advising, support groups, and more.