On May 15th, NAMI Summit County (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) held its annual luncheon at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton. Three hundred and fifty people packed the ballroom to hear Corey Minor Smith, national speaker, renowned attorney, noted mental health advocate, and New York Times celebrated author of the memoir #Driven. During her talk: “NEVER YIELDING: The Exhausting and Inspiring Work of Mental Health Advocates,” Ms. Smith detailed her life as the only child and caretaker of her mother who is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Throughout her childhood, she moved 21 times and attended 14 different schools before graduating high school. She became a mother in her senior year of college, and eventually went to law school and became a successful attorney, all the while advocating for her mother’s significant needs. She continues her advocacy efforts on behalf of her mother and others who are affected by mental health diagnoses.

Also at the luncheon, NAMI Summit County presented the following individuals with awards:

The Hero Award: to Kemp Boyd, Executive Director of Love Akron for his tireless efforts to raise awareness and reduce stigma associated with mental health diagnoses.

Journey of Hope Award: to Brad Rankin awarded to an individual who is committed to succeeding in their mental health journey toward recovery.

CIT officer of the Year: to Sergeant Ralph Stover, Summit County CIT Coordinator, and sergeant with the Tallmadge Police Department for his decade of service to those individuals affected by mental health diagnoses.

For more details https://www.namisummit.org/.