Ashley Espiritu

Tell us a little bit about yourself …

I am 21 years old and it is my last semester at CSULB as a health science major! I will be going to nursing school next to get my BSN. I have my own small art business selling stickers and keychains, and I started it in the throes of the pandemic. I recently got engaged in August to my partner of 4 years!

I love playing with my dog, reading, drawing, and playing the piano. 

What’s your connection to Orange County?

Although I was born and raised in Long Beach, I visited Orange County quite a bit in my childhood/early teens. Disneyland in Anaheim was a frequent visit for my family and I. In adult life, I visit OC sometimes with my friends, and I have a couple of friends and peers that live and work there!

Share a little bit about your outlook on life …

I like to think I have a positive outlook on life! Things can get overwhelming sometimes -- obligations like school, work, relationships – but after every challenge, I have come out just fine and sometimes even better than before.

What’s your favorite book?

My favorite book is Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo! It has amazing POC and LGBTQ+ representation and an awesome fantasy plotline. It was adapted into a Netflix show called Shadow and Bone last year!

My favorite book series is, and has been for the past 12 years, Percy Jackson!

What’s your favorite self-care activity?

My favorite self-care activity is reading or watching a TV show/movie with boba. Especially if my dog is chilling with me! I also enjoy drawing when I feel stressed or overwhelmed.

What drew you to community mental health work?

I have always struggled with mental health, and going into health science as my major really opened my world up to different resources and outlooks on mental health/illnesses. During my time as a health science major I have had many opportunities to research and write about mental health. Although I struggle with my own mental health issues, I love learning about it and seeing other people’s perspectives and stories. In particular, I found myself researching how the LGBTQ+ community is affected by mental illness. I was drawn to that specific demographic because as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I wanted to see how others were impacted as well as familiarize myself with resources. Mental health is so important to me, and I am very grateful and thrilled at the rise of mental health awareness.

Why attend community mental health events, like those hosted by Connect-OC?

I think that it is very important to attend learning opportunities like community mental health events. Not only can you be educated by professionals in the field, you can connect with them and others who attend as well. I also think it is good to be active in the community that you are advocating for.