Solis Mental Health Conference
March 30th, 2025 at Mitchell Park Community Center
Solis hosted its Mental Health Conference on March 30th, 2025.
​
The goal of the conference was to raise mental health awareness in Palo Alto and to establish concrete, actionable goals addressing real issues through intergenerational and interdisciplinary collaboration. Designed for youth, educators, mental health professionals, policymakers, parents, community leaders, and anyone passionate about mental well-being, the event featured a diverse format—including keynote speakers, interactive workshops, Q&A panels, tabling sessions, and whole-group discussions.
​
Solis hoped that by the end of the conference, participants could come together to identify shared goals and carry them forward throughout the year—especially during Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
Solis gathered many speakers, panelists, and professional organizations. These include: Councilmember Greer Stone, Palo Alto City Council; Commissioner Bing Wei, Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commissioner; Rowena Chiu, #MeToo Activist & PAUSD School Board Liaison; Nicole Chiu-Wang, PAUSD School Board Candidate & Executive Director of DreamCatchers; Dr. Jin Lee, Youth Mental Health Advocate; Anne Cribb, Former Palo Alto city staff member and Olympian; Isaac Wang, College Student; Rhea Josyula, High School Student; Vin Bhat, High School Student; Kara; REEL; TRUST / Momentum for Health; Paly BC2M (Bring Change to Mind); and Solis partners.
The afternoon was filled with stories, ideas, and perspectives that reflected both the weight of the crisis and the potential for change.
​
Attendees shared the challenges young people face—grief, pressure, and the invisible burdens many carry. But there were also moments of connection, reminding us of the power of community.
​
In a fragmented world, community is what reminds us we're not alone. It’s what brings us together to heal, understand, and take action.
​
Solis was born in 2022, founded by a student who saw the impact of isolation and disconnection after the pandemic. Coming back to school, she saw how much had changed. Since then, Solis has grown in relevance. In the past two years, we’ve lost two students to suicide—yet these losses represent a larger crisis: students struggling silently under academic pressure, family issues, and a lack of accessible resources.
​
Mental health affects everyone. Some are breaking quietly. Others hide it well. But everyone has their own battles.
That’s why community matters. Not just as an idea, but as a force for action. Change happens when we decide to show up for each other.
​
Solis’s mission is rooted in this belief: only together can we bring mental health into the open and make support accessible to all.
​
The conversation doesn’t end here—it starts here.
