Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority will host the sixth annual Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk to raise money and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on Nov. 16 from 9 to 11:15 a.m. in front of the Miniaci Preforming Arts Center.
The Event Chair Lambda Theta Alpha Esmeralda Rivera, senior sociology major, said the main goal for the walk is to educate others on suicide.
“The more people who are educated and understand what suicide entails, the better,” she said. “People should know that suicide is not something that’s bad to talk about.”
Rivera said the Out of the Darkness Walk is one of Lambda Theta Alpha’s signature philanthropy events. Lambda Theta Alpha has raised $115,000 since 2009, and they hope to raise an additional $30,000 this year.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. in front of the Miniaci Center. Individuals can register by themselves or as a team, and can also register and donate at outofthedarkness.org.
After the completion of the hour-long walk, students will present various performances, such as encouraging songs or speeches, to spread awareness and support throughout the community.
“The performances will include people singing and just being encouraging,” said Rivera. “We’re going to have student organizations table and have an activity that the students come up with at their table to get the community engaged and learn exactly what the message is.”
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for research and education on suicide prevention. The foundation educates people on the causes and warning signs for suicide, as well as how it can be prevented. Additionally, the AFSP works to help those who have been affected by the suicide of a loved one.
Post-Doctoral Resident in the Office of Suicide and Violence Prevention Courtney Cantrell, who will be participating in the walk, said that suicide is a prevalent issue among college students and that education is a key factor in suicide prevention.
Cantrell said, “The research shows that among the population of 18 to 24 year-olds, suicide is the third leading cause of death, and so largely, our role here at the university is to provide education, outreach and preventative measures to reduce that number, especially on a college campus.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 40,000 American lives are taken by suicide every year. Every minute, at least one suicide attempt is made and over the past decade, suicide has become one of the leading causes for death among college students.
Members from NSU’s Office of Suicide and Violence Prevention support and actively participate in the Out of the Darkness Walk and other community outreach programs that help educate about the prevention of suicide and violence.
Cantrell said, “A lot of us at the office participate in the walks. We have several different student organizations participating this year, and some teams have already raised around $1,500.”
The Office of Suicide and Violence Prevention offers many tools to educate students and faculty about the symptoms of depression that can lead to suicide.
“We provide different types of information to students, and act as gatekeepers to notice and recognize the signs and symptoms of an individual that might be contemplating suicide. The Office of Suicide and Violence Prevention acts quickly to identify these symptoms so we can provide the individual with the necessary treatment,” she said.
For more information, contact Esmeralda Rivera at er653@nova.edu or visit ww.outofthedarkness.org.
