2 · NAMI MISSISSIPPI
Farewell Letter from the President of the Board
Mississippi 2618 Southerland Street Jackson, MS 39216 601-899-9058 • 800-357-0388 Fax: 601-956-6380 • namims.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Farewell Letter 2 Letter from the Executive Director 4 NAMI Pine Belt 6 NAMI Vicksburg 7 NAMI Oxford 8 NAMI Central Mississippi 8 2020-2021 Board Members 9-11 Jackson Flooding Response 12-13 COVID-19 Update 14-15 2020 State Conference Recap 16-17 2020 Minority Mental Health Conference Presenters 18-19 2020 Day at the Capitol Recap 20-21 Education 22-23 NAMIWalks Across the State 24-25 Calendar of Events • Support Groups 26 Membership 27 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary Harrington, President & Oxford Affiliate Representative Megan Hamm, Vice President & Four Rivers (MS) Representative Harriette Mastin, Secretary and At Large Marcus Ginn, Treasurer and At Large Sherry Bouldin, At Large Sharon Turner-Davis, At Large Christiane Williams, At Large Thomas Carson, Peer Leadership Council Representative Auvergne Williams, Central Mississippi Affiliate Representative Shan Abbott, Coastal MS Affiliate Representative Diane Sellers, Meridian Affiliate Representative Mavis Creagh, Pine Belt Affiliate Representative Stephanie Stout May, Tupelo Affiliate Representative Jenny Drake, Vicksburg Affiliate Representative STATE OFFICERS Sitaniel J. Wimbley, Executive Director Joy Amerson, Account Manager Kawanna Jenkins, Education Outreach Volunteer Claire Keil, Youth Engagement Specialist David Shumpert, Office Volunteer Latasha Willis, Peer Community Outreach Specialist AFFILIATES Central Mississippi Four Rivers (MS) Pine Belt Vicksburg Meridian Oxford Coastal MS Tupelo (Developing) The NAMI Mississippi newsletter is funded by donations from members and partners, and is published to inform, educate and strengthen the community of individuals and families affected by serious mental illness. The articles and opinions within are not necessarily those of the NAMI Mississippi organization. Content is not intended to endorse any political candidates, viewpoint, treatment or medication.
D
ear NAMI Mississippi Members: Serving as your Board President for the past four years has been an honor and a privilege. I am so proud of the work you all have done, and continue to do, to serve fellow peers and families across the state. In recent years, we’ve seen an expansion of our affiliates across the state, new partnerships with other organizations and agencies, and an expansion of our services for at-risk youth. All of that even as you continue to invest time and effort into support groups which provide a safe space for working through the challenges of living with mental illness and education programs that develop skills to help our members and fellow Mississippians thrive. Having completed my second term on our Board of Directors, I am taking some time away to focus on my own mental well-being, but I leave with an abundance of optimism. We have an energized and dedicated Board of Directors, a skilled State Office staff, and a virtual army of dedicated volunteers and stakeholders. On Saturday, July 25, our new Board elected Mary Harrington of Oxford as your new president. Mary is a brilliant, dedicated advocate for our organization and has served as vice-president for the past two years. She has excellent
organizational and leadership skills that will continue to add significant value as she leads our organization. Earlier this year, the Board hired Sitaniel Wimbley as our Executive Director. Having worked with Sitaniel since she first started with NAMI Mississippi in 2016, I am confident in her commitment to giving her all to continue building an organization that is responsive to the needs of our communities and advocates for the needs of Mississippians living with mental illness and their families. I hope that I have served you well in my time as president. It has been a humbling experience for me. I’ve had the opportunity to witness first-hand the dedication of our local affiliate leaders, our board members, and our teachers and volunteers. I’m so glad to be part of an organization that shows such love and service to our fellow citizens and speaks up to address not only our own needs, but the needs of Mississippians across our state. With a grateful heart,
Brett Mayfield, Outgoing President NAMI Mississippi Board of Directors (July 2016-June 2020)
