Steps taken across campus Saturday, March 28 carried a deeper purpose as students and community members joined together in the 1.2-mile Out of the Darkness Walk, hosted by Campus Recreation to spread awareness, raise funds and honor those who lost their lives to suicide.
Young adults on high school and college campuses nationwide participate in similar walks to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) each spring.
Many of the participants at Saturday’s event have been impacted by suicide in some way, whether it was through the loss of a loved one or a personal struggle.
“We’re in a crisis right now. There is a mental health crisis,” Sharon Olowoyo, the assistant director for Wellness Programming for Campus Recreation said. “Liberty, as a Christian university, needs to be at the front of mental health support for young adults.”
As they walked through campus, participants wore beaded necklaces to symbolize their connection to the cause. Some wore purple for the loss of a friend or relative, white for the loss of a child, red for the loss of a spouse or partner, gold for the loss of a parent, orange for the loss of a sibling, silver for the loss of a first responder or military member, green for a personal struggle, teal to support someone with a struggle or blue to show their support for suicide prevention.
The walk began at the Academic Lawn, circled Campus East and ended at the steps of Montview Student Union for a closing ceremony. Several participants carried a picture of someone they had lost to suicide as a reminder of why they were walking.
Senior Abigayle Minger is one of the top featured fundraisers on the AFSP website.
“It’s a cause that’s really dear to my heart,” Minger said. “I’ve had a lot of family members that have struggled with depression and suicide.”
Minger is a psychology major with aspirations to go into the mental health field.
“Bringing awareness to causes like this and being able to provide educational resources and support and awareness is really important to what I want to do, so I figured I might as well start now,” Minger said.
The AFSP and multiple departments at Liberty University set up tables with counseling and resources available to anyone struggling at the event. Some of these resources are the International Student Center, Counseling & Psychological Services, the Office of Disability Accommodation Support, CARE and Support, and LU ONE.
One Liberty student in particular has had a direct impact on raising mental health awareness. Sophomore Ella Rosario authored a book with her father, titled “ABC’s of Encouragement for Girls.”
“We are losing young women in today’s world so quickly, and it’s just so heartbreaking,” Rosario said. “It’s been my mission to just help other women in today’s world, no matter what age, because we’re all being broken down.”
As participants finished the walk, they were greeted with encouraging notes written in chalk on the pavement. Some of these notes read “you are loved,” “you matter” and “you are seen.”
Donations to the suicide prevention cause are still being accepted. If you would like to help Liberty reach its goal of $10,000, you can visit https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/liberty/donate.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, dial 988 to reach the 988 Lifeline or text the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
Giroux is a campus news reporter for the Liberty Champion.