Content Warning: Suicide

We have an absolutely incredible Mental Health Matters episode for you this week, as Carley and Joe are joined by Chris Thomas. Chris, his wife Martha, and son Solomon Thomas are the co-founders of The Defensive Line, an organization dedicated to preventing suicide by transforming the way we communicate & connect about mental health, with a particular programmatic focus on places that serve over 50% young people of color. Chris and his family have worked tirelessly to end the stigma surrounding talking about suicide, change the way we approach prevention, and transform our societal and institutional guardrails to be more effective and equitable. Chris is a passionate and persuasive advocate, and he speaks with Carley and Joe all about the origin story of The Defensive Line, his personal journey with mental health, and the role we can all play in the struggle. We were so blessed to have Chris, and you can look forward to seeing more of him as he is one of our honorees at our Operation Lemon-Aid gala this month, cohosted with the Lemons Foundation.

For more of Chris and his work, check out https://thedefensiveline.org or follow the Defensive Line on the major social media platforms. In addition, you can watch Solomon Thomas Plays for his Sister to understand their work. 

ARE YOU IN CRISIS OR NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE? TEXT “HOME" TO 741741, DIAL 988, OR CALL 1-800-273-8255 TO RECEIVE HELP 24/7.