American River College’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is hosting a “Public Health Fair,” on ARC’s campus on May 6 in the student center.
Attendees will be “educated on public health issues such as homelessness, domestic abuse, mental illness, sex trafficking, drug addiction, and hunger, among other issues,” said Julio Luis Gopez. President of American River College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (Beta Zeta Pi),
Resources, presentations, and activities for mental and physical well-being will be available for students as a way to promote student wellness, according to an outline provided by Gopez.
There will also be panels, workshops and informational booths available to attend and seek out information.
Gopez stressed that each topic is equally as important as the next but he did point out that “sex trafficking is a very serious problem in Sacramento that a lot of people don’t know about.”
Gopez continued and said that mental illness is one of the overarching problems that accompanies all of these public health issues in one capacity or another.
He pointed out that social inequity such as for members of the LGBTQ community, are at a higher risk to “drug abuse and suicide.”
These sort of destructive behaviors are a byproduct of mental health problems and mental illnesses.
Its goal is not only to educate but to “provide (students) with an improved societal perspective,” one that “encourage(s) them to take the initiative to assist groups in need,” Gopez said.
ARC student Mariya Katsman and Vice President of communications for PTK and triple major; political science, international studies and sociology will be a volunteer at the “Heath fair.”Katsman said she hopes “each attendee can find something specific to carry out of the fair since it covers so many diverse important topics.”
She added that “there will be an activity hosted by the Lotus Garden Meditation Center, yoga demo and meditation ,so that attendees (can) relax and consume new information even better.”
“In addition, to free admission, we provide continental breakfast and lunch,” Katsman said.
All workshops will take place in community rooms one and two. Breakout sessions will be held in community rooms, club and board rooms and the opening, closing and keynote speakers will take place in the cafeteria.
