A trio of area service organizations sponsored a day-long event in Forest Park on Friday, promoting the importance of mental health. The sixth annual Mental Health Consumer Conference and Fair placed an emphasis on laughter and communication, according to Lucy Sajdak, the executive director of Growing Place Empowerment Organization in Berwyn.
The Forest Park Progress Center for Independent Living, along with the Region 1 Metro West Consumer Advisor Council, co-sponsored the event.
Sara Capetillo, an employment advocate with the Progress Center, was the keynote speaker. Capetillo, seen here, encouraged her audience to take confidence in their abilities. In telling the story of an encounter with two teens who made disparaging remarks about her, she offered some advice.
“It’s up to you to prove them wrong,” Capetillo said. “You have to show them who you are.”
