When Anna was 6 years old, her father died by suicide after
struggling with depression. Her family dealt with it the best they could but
never talked about it. After graduating from high school in suburban Florida,
Anna attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. In her sophomore year Anna developed
binge-eating disorder and depression and the illness controlled her mind and
body. She struggled with seeking help fearing that what happened to her father
would happen to her. Eventually she sought help and through therapy and
relationships with friends she has recovered and leads a fulfilling life. Anna
is a graduate of USC Annenberg School of Communications. Her presentation
exemplifies mental health and the peace that comes from loving and accepting
yourself just the way you are.
Mika Moriwaki from Active Minds at University of Wyoming says:
"Active Minds provides us the place to get together, take action, and make the actual difference in our community... And all of us have the responsibility to show the way to make the better community to the next generation."