The campus community gathered at The WELL on Thursday evening for Sacramento State’s fourteenth annual Out of the Darkness Walk, an event focused on suicide prevention and awareness.
Rey Martinez, a third-year kinesiology major, said she felt reassured by seeing how many people came out to support the cause.
“Seeing everyone here made me feel better, and showing up in these ways is monumental because of the stigma around mental health,” Martinez said.
Hosted by Student Health, Counseling and Wellness Services with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention of Sacramento, the walk raised over $9,000 to support suicide prevention efforts, according to the AFSP website.
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According to Monica Martin, a health promotion specialist with Student Health and Counseling, 930 participants took part in the walk that kicked off at The WELL, making its way to the front entrance of campus near Sacramento and Shasta halls.
Over the past 20 years, U.S. suicide rates have climbed 37%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for individuals ages 10 to 24, and rates for this age group in particular have increased more than 50% between 2000 and 2021. Suicide rates among college athletes have also doubled during this time.
Ailyn Ramirez, a third-year psychology major and member of the Mujeres Ayudando la Raza club, said the event served as a good reminder of the support that exists within the community.
“The thing I really took away from it was how the event meant a lot to people who have lost a loved one to suicide,” Ramirez said. “It was important to have a community for them to raise awareness and make this more of a topic of conversation.”
