NERDS RULE INC's "Breaking The Cycle" Mental Health Campaign with special guest CEO/Founder April Laster. 

Topic: Mental Health in Community Leadership 

April Laster: For so many years I always imagined a world filled with people that helped each other, whether through encouragement, resources, or just a listening ear.  I realized it was these things that would have made a big difference for me while growing up in the inner city. Growing up was tough.  I was trying to navigate through life with few tools, many questions without answers, and unaddressed trauma. Living in chaos became normal.  I felt isolated in a world full of opportunities that seemed out of my reach. As I got older and started to experience life on my own I started to become an advocate for human rights, mental health, and social justice. As I continued to contemplate what advocacy and support look like for these situations, I  asked myself “What would April have needed?”  The answer to that question is what you will experience at Open Heart Leaders, and it is not your typical programs and services. These programs are designed with people like you in mind.  The services center around what communities want, rather than what they are told they need.