布卢姆菲尔德毕业生倡导心理健康意识
A tight-knit community and opportunities at Bloomfield College shaped one graduate’s journey in mental health advocacy
This is one of several stories highlighting 冬季毕业典礼火狐体育 graduates who are pursuing the American Dream and have found a quality education and sense of belonging at 火狐体育.
When Lataiva Balmer, a Psychology major at 火狐体育布鲁姆菲尔德学院, faced mental health challenges, she realized it was a topic rarely discussed in the Black community. 决心打破耻辱，倡导理解，巴尔默找到了自己的声音——以及一个渴望倾听的社区。
Through her original podcast, 心理健康和其他一切怎么了, she opens up conversations with students and others on ways to improve their mental well-being, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
这次毕业典礼是布卢姆菲尔德学院的学生第一次和火狐体育火狐体育学院的学生一起在同一个典礼上毕业，而且还是巴尔默 准备参加1月13日的活动时，她回想起这个支持她、关系密切、帮助她茁壮成长的社区。
“Bloomfield is truly family, and as I graduate, I feel like I’m leaving my family behind,” she says.
寻找目标和社区
鲍尔默在布卢姆菲尔德只待了两年，在夏季和冬季学期选修额外课程，以便在转学二年级后提前毕业。 在COVID-19大流行期间，她休学了一年。
“I knew at the time that I was in college, but I wasn’t sure why I was there,” she says. “I took that year off to figure out my ‘why.’ During that time, I faced depression, family struggles, and challenges I had never encountered before.”
Once she joined the Bloomfield campus and got involved – a host of activities including the 麦克奈尔学者计划 and student government, and serving as a residential assistant and peer mentor – she noticed similar struggles among students.
“But mental health wasn’t being talked about enough, especially in the Black community,” she says. “Being at a predominantly minority campus, many students seemed hesitant to confront issues like anxiety, depression and self-awareness.”
巴尔默决心做出改变，她得到了布卢姆菲尔德咨询团队的支持，推出了她的播客。 “We explore topics relevant to students, sometimes delving into systemic issues like prisons and education systems, which lead to political discussions,” she says. 有些节目侧重于实用话题，比如应对抑郁和焦虑的机制。 “We also cover lighter subjects like love, favorite sports, and family dynamics to promote balanced mental well-being.”
Balmer continues to grow her podcast’s audience, with episodes now 在Spotify上流媒体. 她说，听众的反馈突出了它的相关性和诚实性。 “It creates a sense of purpose when listeners share the podcast on their own pages to help raise mental health awareness. It brings me peace knowing that I’m not just speaking to a camera and mic – someone is actually listening, applying the advice and appreciating it.”
‘Write Your Own Story’
回顾她的旅程，鲍尔默说：
“What I accomplished here in just two years allowed me to grow and persevere toward becoming the person I know I can be. 我一直对法律和心理学充满热情——早在中学时我就对这些领域着迷了。 布卢姆菲尔德给了我为我的目标奠定基础的工具，即使这幅画还没有完全完成。 I’m confident the future will be just as rewarding.”
Balmer captured her reflections in a written piece titled 甜蜜的两年, where she expressed how Bloomfield shaped her not just academically, but personally:
“当我回顾我在布卢姆菲尔德学院的时光时，我带走了我从每一次经历和遭遇中获得的所有爱和支持。 我拿走了许多深入的对话、音乐建议、责骂、犀利的目光、播客推荐、昵称、拥抱和祈祷。 但最重要的是，我带来了意想不到的关系和长久的笑声。 ‘Write your own story’ is a theme we as Bears pride ourselves in, and I took that personally. I knew this was the right place for me to forge my story.”
她继续: “My goal was to create and leave a legacy for others to enjoy and follow. In the process, I discovered new ways to be impactful – teaching others how to start clubs, giving mental health advice, consoling peers, encouraging confidence, living up to the Portraits of Excellence, reciting poetry, and finding myself in all of these successes.”
“I take with me gratitude for all the people who made sure I was okay. I thank Bloomfield College for taking a confused but driven young girl and making her into a focused, passionate, intense, loving and sweet woman.”
After graduation, Balmer will begin working as a peer tutor for the 双招生项目 at 火狐体育, which provides high school students with the opportunity to earn college credits while fulfilling their high school requirements. 她还在考虑攻读国际法或心理健康咨询方面的研究生课程。
“It wasn’t until I transferred to Bloomfield College that I really sat down and asked myself, ‘Who do I want to be? 我想去哪里？ 我怎么去那儿？'” Balmer reflects. “Those questions helped me paint a picture for my life. It’s not perfect yet, but the foundation is there, and that’s what matters most.”
Story by Staff Writer 玛丽莲·乔伊斯·莱伦.
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