ANQUINARTA LEE, A COMPASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SERVED AS A DEDICATED SCHOOL COUNSELOR FOR A DECADE BEFORE TRANSITIONING INTO A ROLE FOCUSED ON BROADER COMMUNITY IMPACT. SHE RECEIVED A BA IN PSYCHOLOGY AND A MASTERS IN SCHOOL COUNSELING, AND RECENTLY CERTIFIED AS A MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR. SHE IS ALSO CURRENTLY ATTENDING LIBERTY UNIVERSITY TO OBTAIN A PHD IN PSYCHOLOGY: THEOLOGY. RECOGNIZING THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACED BY MEN IN ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, ANQUINARTA BECAME A VOCAL ADVOCATE FOR MALE MENTAL HEALTH, STRIVING TO DESTIGMATIZE SEEKING HELP.
PASSIONATE ABOUT FOSTERINGINCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, ANQUINARTA FOUNDED A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED, I AM LIGHT MINISTRIES, EMBRACING A HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT IN WELLNESS. THE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO BUILD STRONGER FAITH AND FUTURES FOR BOYS, MEN, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
ANQUINARTA'S VISION EXTENDS BEYOND TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES, SEEKING TO ALSO
REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM RECEIVE MENTAL
HEALTH CARE. WITH THIS GOAL IN MIND, ANQUINARTA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT AGENDAS FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT PRIORITIZE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, AIMING TO CREATE A MORE EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO REHABILITATION. WHILE ENGAGED IN YOUTH PRISON MINISTRY THROUGH HER FORMER CHURCH, SHE SAW HOW SOME SYSTEMS FAILED THE YOUTH AND ADULTS AS WELL. THROUGH HER ADVOCACY AND DEDICATION, ANQUINARTA LEE CONTINUES TO BE A BEACON OF HOPE AND CHANGE IN THE REALM OF MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND SUPPORT.
