Wednesday, May 13th, 2026

California State Capitol Park
Toward the corner of L & 14th St.
10:00am – 1:00pm
Click for Map

Free to attend!

Mental Health America of California believes passionately in the power of community. Together we build momentum and connection to better the lives of those with mental health challenges. Speaking up about mental health is an essential part of battling stigma and instilling hope. Our voices are amplified when we speak up together. By hosting Mental Health Matters Day, we continue to strengthen the movement towards ending stigma.

Check Out Mental Health Matters Day 2025 At a Glance!

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Entertainment

 Kristee Ono

 Stand-up Comedian

Kristee Ono is a little dark, a little weird, a lot of burritos. Kristee is a San Francisco-based stand up comedian exploring depression and food obsession with an unwarranted optimism entertaining enough that no one has asked her to stop as of yet. She is the co-host of Mental Health Comedy Hour, where comedians use humor to destigmatize mental illness. She has performed at the Punch Line and Cobbs Comedy Clubs, and opened for Margaret Cho, Kristin Key, and Judah Friedlander.

Miss Marianna Sousa (She/Her)
Master of Ceremonies

For over 20 years, Miss Marianna’s commitment to “edutainment” serves as a culturally responsive and highly engaging approach to inspire personal, professional and institutional transformation. Founder of Mariworks Productions, a multimedia arts and education organization, her mission is to boost self-awareness and restorative practices with an emphasis on mental health and emotional hygiene. Through the scope of public health, safety and crisis prevention her impact on social wellness ushers in motivation and guidance essential for global change. Miss Marianna’s refreshing keynotes, workshops and training continue to agitate greatness in the home, school, neighborhood and workplace.

DJ Lady Char (She/Her)
Entertainment

One of the Sacramento’s most prominent and musically diverse DJ’s, with club residencies all over California and Nevada, Char travels all over the Bay Area on a weekly bases rocking dance floors with pride. Char has a strong love of not just playing music but being an active part of the community and our youth. Char takes pride in creating an unforgettable experience for all, in every event she takes part in, big or small. She hopes to move you with music, beats that touch your soul and make you forget about the daily stresses in life. Lady Char is all about love and positivity, she promotes equality and loves to support all those with like minds.

Speakers

Giselle Garcia, J.D. (She/Ella)
Speaker

Giselle Garcia serves as Programs Director at NorCal Resist, an organization dedicated to fighting injustice by building community power through education, direct action, and mutual support. Giselle was raised in South Sacramento with her Nicaraguan parents and shares a profound connection to immigrant advocacy work. She has worked alongside hundreds of immigrants over the last decade and has seen firsthand the devastating physical and mental health impacts our immigration policies have had on our neighbors. Our state policies must lead by removing barriers to accessing health care services for all and reflect our values: that immigrants deserve inclusivity and opportunity in California, and that begins with health.

Evan Marmol, MSW, MBA-HM, LCSW (He/Him)
Speaker

Evan is a dedicated crisis clinician with a career defined by his commitment to high-risk populations across the continuum of care—from emergency rooms and inpatient psychiatric units to HIV care and domestic violence advocacy. As a survivor of a hate crime, Evan’s professional path is deeply personal; he has turned lived experience into a lifelong mission for equity and inclusion. As a voice in the field, Evan has contributed to the literature on systemic racism and served as a faculty member at Sacramento State, teaching Diversity within the Master of Social Work program. He remains a steadfast advocate for policy reform aimed at protecting and empowering the most vulnerable members of our community.

Tiffany Murphy (She/Her)
Spoken Word Poetry

Tiffany C. Murphy currently serves as MHAC’s Chief Operations Officer. She has over 18 years of experience in the Health and Human Services field, a bachelor’s degree in human services and a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology. Her commitment to the guiding principle “nothing about us without us” shaped her approach to service. She is committed to equity and understands the improvements needed to better support individuals impacted by stigma, displacement, and discrimination.

Elijah Joseph (They/Them)
Land Recognition

Elijah Joseph is a citizen of the El Dorado Band of Miwok Indians, a group with ancestral territory spanning from northern Sacramento into the Southern Sierras. Growing up in Sacramento, they regularly visit their tribe’s ancestral lands to maintain a healthy connection to the Earth and the history it holds. Elijah has served as Secretary for their Tribal Board and was previously the Program Coordinator for a Native American traditional stewardship program. Though they now serve as Project Coordinator for MHAC’s LGBTQ+ Inclusivity, Visibility, and Empowerment program, their work will always be informed and shaped by their cultural ties to the land, community, and holistic healing.

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Thank You 2026 Planning Partners!

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