Leslie Tapia

Tell us a little bit about yourself …

Hi! My name is Leslie Tapia. I’m 22 and currently attending Cal State Fullerton for my final year.
I will be graduating in the upcoming spring and plan on pursuing a master's in social work. I
enjoy reading in my free time as it allows me to feel connected and present. I spend most of my
time trying to give back to my community such as simply assisting teachers in my community
with students. My biggest passion I would say would be advocating for mental health as it is a
personal and important aspect of my life. Whether it’s on a small platform or not I always try to
bring awareness towards mental health and hope to eventually be in a field where I can help
individuals with their mental health.

What’s your connection to Orange County?

I grew up in Orange County! Particularly in Santa Ana. Growing up in Orange County allowed
me to have many resources available and also allowed me to meet various people from different
cultures. Growing up in Orange County allowed me to feel connected within my community and
aspire to give back to others. One of my favorite things about living in Orange County would be
the greenery! I absolutely love living somewhere where there’s so much nature to look at.

Share a little bit about your outlook on life …

My outlook on life would be to be as transparent as possible and to always keep fighting. One
quote I would say to describe my outlook in life would be “ if you stay, the world will repay you.”
For the longest time, I struggled to speak about my journey and noticed how hard it made life.
Being transparent with myself and others in life allowed me to have open, deep connections
with people. Transparency and continuing to fight made me realize how being personal and
open allows me to be more in touch with life.

What’s your favorite book (or two)? Why?

Only two? I enjoy reading but at the moment one of my favorite books would be The Body
Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk as it discusses how traumatic experiences can impact
other aspects of our body. Jennette McCurdy’s memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died is another book I
am currently enjoying. The book itself contains heavy content but it is one of my favorites for
that exact reason. It discusses her mental health journey and opens up conversations about
topics that aren’t normalized enough.

What’s your favorite self-care activity? Why?

My favorite self-care activity would be journaling and meditation. Meditation allows me to feel
connected to the way my body feels while relieving some tension. When I’m feeling
overwhelmed with what’s happening in my life I meditate and spend that time reflecting on the
importance of self-care. Journaling has a special place in my heart as it has been a self-care
activity I’ve done for a couple of years! My first therapist gave me my first journal at the age of
10 and it allowed me to write down my emotions and feel grounded. I have continued to journal
as a way to take care of myself while validating my emotions.

What drew you to community mental health work?

Mental health is something very personal and important to me. I am a suicide survivor and that
itself drew me to community mental health work. Growing up in a Hispanic household, mental
health had a stigma around it and was never discussed. I grew up dealing with anxiety,
depression, and OCD in an unhealthy household which made me feel very alone and confused.
Eventually, everything felt extremely heavy and I had no intention of staying in this world. My
attempt was what drew me into advocating and having open discussions about mental health.
The lack of resources and how hard it was to receive mental health services motivated me to try
to fight for myself and others. I hope to one day make an impact in the mental health field even
if it’s just with one person.

How did you get involved with Connect-OC, and what have you found valuable about the
experience?

I got involved with Connect-OC through one of my favorite professors who recommended
joining if we were interested in advocating for mental health! I figured why not join as I already
advocate for mental health and it would be a step toward helping other generations. Something
valuable I’ve found about this experience would be the wonderful group of individuals who
partake in this and how connected and passionate they are in making a change in the stigma
around mental health.

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

Attending community mental health events like the ones hosted by Connect-OC is crucial! They
provide various resources and allow you to meet other individuals and build a community. Not
only do they provide a sense of community, but also help open up discussions about topics that
aren’t often normalized, which should be. Mental health is health and attending community
mental health events helps that message get out.