by Laine Himmelmann<\/p>\n
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NAMI California youth who traveled from Modesto<\/p>\n
On a stormy Tuesday morning<\/a>, more than 200 high school and college students<\/a>\u00a0from across California arrived at the State Capitol \u2014 many after hours-long bus rides \u2014 to share their stories, meet with policymakers, and advocate for stronger support for youth mental health.<\/p>\n The annual Advocacy Day, held April 21 and organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) California<\/a> with support from Blue Shield of California, brought students together for a rally followed by meetings with state <\/a>leaders at the Capitol.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing so many young people show up and speak openly about their mental health is powerful,\u201d said Sarah Summer, vice president of behavioral health at Blue Shield of California. \u201cIt takes courage, thanks to the stigma today \u2014 but it shouldn\u2019t have to. These youth are helping create a future where mental health conversations are open, accepted, and supported.\u201d<\/p>\n Recent data from Blue Shield\u2019s BlueSky Youth Mental Health survey<\/a> highlights the urgency: 94% of Gen Z youth report experiencing mental health challenges in an average month, and 35% who sought but didn\u2019t receive care cited embarrassment<\/a> as a reason.<\/p>\n Still, young people remain resilient \u2014 63% say they feel hopeful for the future, and 69% have talked to a friend about their mental health.<\/p>\n That resilience was on full display at Advocacy Day.<\/p>\n \u201c<\/a>It\u2019s important for me to be here,\u201d said Anajoaquina Alvarez Nava, a high school sophomore who traveled two hours by bus from the Central Valley. \u201cPeople came from even farther because it’s important to advocate for these issues. We need to stand up and have our voices heard.\u201d<\/p>\n Youth participants at the Advocacy Day rally<\/p>\n For many students, sharing their experiences is both empowering and impactful.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I sha<\/a>re my story, I create space for others to feel comfortable and open up,\u201d said Ella Cruz, a junior at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento. \u201cIt also helps me move forward my goal of reducing stigma around mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond Advocacy Day, Blue Shield\u2019s support helps expand NAMI California programs like NAMI On Campus<\/a>, which empowers student-led mental health clubs in high schools across the state. Through funding from Blue Shield\u2019s BlueSky<\/a> youth mental health initiative, the program has grown significantly \u2014 from 1,051 participants and 70 clubs across California in 2020, to more than 4,194 students across 178 clubs in 2026.<\/a><\/p>\n These clubs provide peer-led support for students who are experiencing mental health challenges, supporting friends or family members, or interested in advocacy \u2014 creating safe spaces for conversation and normalizing mental health discussions among youth.<\/p>\n While Advocacy Day is a powerful moment, the work continues long after students return home. With support from BlueSky and NAMI California, youth across California are driving more open conversations, reducing stigma, and advocating for change around mental health in their schools and communities.<\/p>\n BlueSky:\u00a0Blue Shield of California’s\u00a0BlueSky youth mental health initiative<\/a>\u00a0is a multi-year effort to promote emotional well-being for young people across California. Since 2019, BlueSky has supported over 30,000 youth and educators through on-campus and online mental health services, educator training and youth-driven advocacy programs.<\/p>\n![\"nami-advocacy-day-4-21-26-5\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nami-advocacy-day-4-21-26-5_mid.png\" "\\"Youth")
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