On Tuesday, November 1, community network We Fight will host its second “Elevate Northern Michigan: A Youth Mental Health Summit for Young Leaders – and Those Who Love Them.”
Elevate Northern Michigan is a quarterly summit series focusing on boosting knowledge regarding psychology, neuroscience, practical well-being tools, and leadership skills related to mental health. The 90-minute event will consist of three workshops with local experts:
- Dr. Michael Kern, Ph.D: School Psychologist at Interlochen Center for the Arts
- Meg Mertaugh-Graber, M.Ed., MSW, LMSW Clinical, LICSW: Founder of Care-O-Van, PLLC & AVEC Care Farm
- Jessie Perez: Family Navigator at National Alliance for Mental Illness Grand Traverse
Registration is free but required as space is limited.
All are welcome at the summit — particularly young people aged 16-24 and those who love them. No previous training or engagement with We Fight is required. The event begins at 1 p.m., and will take place at Northwestern Michigan College’s Innovation Center in Room 106/107.
We Fight is grateful to Northern Lakes Community Mental Health and NMC for their support and sponsorship of Elevate Northern Michigan.
We Fight recently underwent a strategic visioning process to better accomplish its vision: a northern Michigan where everyone plays a role in protecting our kids’ mental health.
“I hope that aspiring youth leaders leave this summit with a better understanding of the skills required to project their voice and tackle systemic change with the youthful determination that makes their advocacy so unique, to begin with,” said We Fight leadership team member, Central High School student Will Unger.
“I’m proud of the We Fight community for stepping up. And I’m grateful for our local experts for their generosity to help boost knowledge, shift attitudes, decrease stigma, build support and elevate youth voice. The Elevate Summits are a science-based, urgent and optimistic step toward a northern Michigan where everyone plays a role in protecting our kids’ mental health,” said Good Works Lab founder, Ty Schmidt.
We Fight for Northern Michigan’s Youth Mental Health, or “We Fight,” was founded in December 2021 as an initiative of Traverse City-based social change agency Good Works Lab. Since its founding, over 630+ people who care have committed to protecting youth mental health in Northern Michigan by leveraging the Surgeon General’s Youth Mental Health advisory. To get involved, visit Good Works Lab’s website.