About 1,000 participants gathered at Santa Monica Pier on Oct. 18 for the Out of the Darkness Walk, a community event aimed at raising awareness for suicide prevention and mental health while bringing together those affected by suicide loss.
The two-hour walk, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, raised funds for research and education programs while connecting people who have lost loved ones to suicide with others struggling with mental health challenges.
"The main goal is to bring community together and raise funds for research and education programs," said Beth Flax, co-chair of the Santa Monica Out of the Darkness Walk.
The event's centerpiece was the honor beads ceremony, where participants wore colored beads representing their connection to suicide and mental health struggles. Gold beads signified the loss of a parent, purple represented losing a friend or relative, green indicated personal struggle, blue showed support for the cause, and teal signified support for someone struggling.
An announcer called out each color one by one as participants raised their beads during moments of silence, creating a powerful visual representation of shared loss and community support.
"It's a very powerful moment to see who else has the same type of loss," said Flax, who has volunteered with the organization for 15 years after losing both her mother and stepmother to suicide within two weeks of each other in 2008.
For many attendees, the ceremony provided their first glimpse of a community that understood their experiences.
"Honor bead was really moving, it showed we're all here to support each other," said Raquene Reed, who has struggled with mental health and once attempted suicide. Reed, who has lived in Los Angeles for nine years, was attending her first walk with the foundation.
Stephanie Rivas, another first-time participant who recently lost someone to suicide, said she wanted to commemorate struggles her family members and friends have experienced. She learned about the event through the foundation's social media.
"I just felt like I wanted to represent them, even though they're not here physically in the walk with me," Rivas said.
The event also featured a resource fair with nonprofit organizations including Free Mom Hugs, The Happiness Project, and the YAY Foundation, providing information about mental health services available in the community.
Kerry Scott, a volunteer with Free Mom Hugs who supports the LGBTQ+ community, said the event created opportunities for open dialogue about suicide and mental health.
"I met a few people come up and talk about their loss and struggles," Scott said. "You would never know what people have been through unless they talk about it."
Stesha Moore, co-chair of the walk and a nine-year volunteer with the foundation, emphasized the importance of breaking down stigma surrounding suicide. According to internal statistics from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 91% of adults surveyed believe suicide is preventable at least some of the time, yet many people who are struggling fear discussing it publicly.
"The best thing to do to help with suicide prevention is start talking about it," Moore said. "The more conversations we have, the more normalized mental health and suicide prevention become."
Moore shared a particularly meaningful moment from the day when someone approached her mother, who was holding a sign promoting the 988 mental health crisis lifeline, to express gratitude for the increased awareness and resources now available.
"Those were the moments that I live for. Those are the moments when I see this work is positively affecting participants," Moore said.
The Santa Monica walk supports Los Angeles County and surrounding municipalities including West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Money raised goes directly toward training programs in the county, with organizers conducting hundreds of training sessions annually.
Flax, who shifted her career path from pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology to becoming a mental health advocate after her losses, encouraged people not to fear asking difficult questions when someone is struggling.
"Don't be afraid to talk about it," Flax said. "If someone's struggling, don't be afraid to ask them, are you thinking of hurting yourself? Because that doesn't put the idea into their head."
The 988 lifeline provides 24/7 support for mental health crises in the United States.
Junting Chien contributed to this report.