May is #MentalHealth Awareness Month. Since its inception in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions (via @namicommunicate). DID YOU KNOW that 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but only half of them receive treatment? I am a part of that statistic. On Saturday, May 18, I will return to my former hometown of Mandeville for @namisttammany’s #NAMIWalks event which raises money for NAMI’s mission to provide programs and fuel mental health awareness. Each year, I set a modest goal of raising $1,000. This year, I am grateful to have raised a personal-best $1,625 (so far), increasing my total to nearly $7,500 since my first NAMIWalks event in 2019. That includes the roughly $550 Ashleigh and I have donated (sometimes in loose change) to do whatever we can to give a voice to the voiceless and advocate for mental health. As I raise money each year, I wil...