Elena Yee

Nearly a year ago this month, I wrote about representation and racism in college mental health. And here we are as a nation grappling with the realities of institutional (aka systemic) racism once again. Yet the stakes have always been high when we remember the countless deaths of BIPOC in the last decade let alone for generations.

Last month I had the wonderful opportunity to co-present and co-facilitate with four other counselors of color at a conference focused on college mental health in New York. The title of the presentation was “A Roundtable Discussion on Race and Ethnicity among College Mental Health Professional Staff” and we were thrilled that over forty people attended our session.

Last month I traveled to Montgomery, Alabama with my mentor to see the Peace and Justice memorial. After reading about it last April, I knew I had to go and see it, and having my mentor, Ellen Ziskind who was a Freedom Rider, join me would make the experience even more impactful and meaningful.

As a new professional in clinical mental health counseling, specifically at a university, it was a remarkable first year that took me from Providence, RI to a little village called Alfred in upstate NY. I also had an article published last month, and passed my licensure exam! All seemed good, right?

It happened. Nearly two months ago. It really did. I graduated. Three years of intense studying and writing many papers to earn my MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Rhode Island College.