The Blues Project, a peer education program for depression and mental health on campus, brought in a crowd of students to its annual tabling fair, featuring advocates from health services on and off campus.
Students were provided educational activities, informational flyers, pamphlets, live music, free stuff and food. Services that the group was tabling included:
CSUN Helpline: a public crisis intervention, support, and referral service that works closely with the campus’ University Counseling Services and Associated Students.
Project D.A.T.E: a date or acquaintance rape prevention program.
MenCare: a campus-wide prevention program to end sexual violence through education, cultural change, and leadership development.
JADE: a program dedicated to the awareness and prevention of eating disorders.
Other tables featured Student Recreation Center (SRC), Veterans Resource Center (VRC), Oasis Wellness Center, Matador 4 Wellness, Campus Care, Hillview Mental Health Center, and more.
Maribel Lopez, a sophomore tabling for Project D.A.T.E, said many students were interested in her table because of the recent sexual assaults near campus.
“There’s a lot of people that are concerned why it’s still going on,” Lopez said.
According to Lopez, about 40 students signed up interested in learning more about the rape prevention program.
Benjamin Garcia, a senior tabling for the Blues Project, said the program has impacted many students through presentations in class.
“Just being able to go in classes and have people be able to understand these things or when people ask questions after [a presentation] and seem interested, that’s enough [to make an impact],” Garcia said.
Samantha Gonzalez, a psychology major, said she found out about the fair through a friend.
“I think it’s pretty cool that they’re making us aware of what’s going on,” Gonzalez said.
Post-election, Gonzalez said these events are helpful for students still in the blues.
“It could be because it’s uniting people rather than having the students going out and rioting,” Gonzalez said.
Kate Leffingwell, a Blues Project volunteer, said the overall goal of the fair was to inform students how to get involved and seek help.
“Nobody is truly alone, this school legitimately cares for its students,” Leffingwell said.
