By Swapna Raina, AFSP Volunteer and Planning Committee Member
COLUMBIA, Md. — The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Howard County Out of the Darkness Walk was held Saturday, September 26, at Azlon Plaza in Columbia, Maryland’s Merriweather District, bringing together hundreds of people to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.
More than an annual event, the walk provided an opportunity for community members to stand together, bring conversations about mental health and suicide prevention into the open, support those who are struggling, and remind suicide-loss survivors that they do not have to walk their journey alone.
My commitment to this cause is deeply personal. For the sixth consecutive year, I joined family and friends in walking in memory of my brother, Dr. Jai Kishen Wali, whom we lost to suicide in 1997, and Troy, whom we lost far too early in 2022. Through Team Jai, we honor their lives as well as the lives of so many others lost to suicide.
What began for me in grief has grown into a lasting purpose: to help turn loss into hope, awareness into action, and difficult conversations about mental health into opportunities for compassion and connection.
A central part of that purpose is reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly in South Asian communities, where conversations about emotional well-being can sometimes be difficult. Meaningful change begins when we have the courage to speak openly, listen without judgment, and make it easier for people to seek help. Every conversation can help create a community in which asking for support is met with understanding rather than silence.
AFSP’s Out of the Darkness Walks bring this mission to communities across the nation each year. This fall, walks were held in seven Maryland counties. Friends, families, neighbors, coworkers and community leaders walked side by side—not only in memory of those we have lost, but also in support of those who are struggling today and in the hope of a future in which fewer families experience the devastating loss of suicide.
The presence of community leaders, elected officials and people from diverse backgrounds sent a visible message that mental health and suicide prevention are community priorities and that those affected by suicide, mental health challenges and loss deserve collective support.
The event was made possible through extensive work and planning by Marina Thompson, AFSP Chapter Director; Jessica Fisher, Walk Chair; members of the planning committee; and numerous volunteers. Organizers surpassed their fundraising goal of $85,000, raising more than $96,000.
As the walk concluded, Azlon Plaza echoed with a message shared by participants:
“You are loved.
You are not alone.
The world is a better place with you in it.”
—Swapna Raina, AFSP Volunteer and Planning Committee Member
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