LOS ANGELES — With some soil, colorful pots and a variety of succulents, Magaly Garcia will teach mental well-being. 

Mental well-being is still widely stigmatized in communities of color, especially in the Latino community.

What You Need To Know

  • The Wellness Center serves the communities of East LA and Boyle Heights

  • More than 2.3 Million U.S. seniors live with an undiagnosed mental illness

  • The Wellness Center is located at the LA General Medical Center

  • Thru creative workshops, the center hopes to distigmatize mental health among communities of color

In East Los Angeles, The Wellness Center — a free program at the Los Angeles General Medical Center — is taking a creative approach to prioritize mental well-being among the large Latino population of the eastside by coupling creative workshops with regular mental health services. 

“It keeps us busy, we’re working with nature,” said Garcia. “Gardening has shown to help with stress and anxiety and also just a fun activity to have outside in the sunshine.”

Garcia works as a wellness navigator at the center and is tasked with innovating ways to expand on traditional mental health service. She recently led a gardening workshop to teach stress management to women of the eastside. 

“A lot of the ladies understand that they are not alone," she said. "They have a lot of things in common a lot of experiences that they’ve gone through as well.”

Through community-focused, cultural and language-relevant workshops, the wellness center has been able to open the minds of a community who often pushes back on mental health.

“If you’re depressed and don’t feel like doing anything, you get told lazy,” said Garcia. “If you have anxiety, they tell you it’s all in your head.” 

Among the ladies in attendance is Alma Crespo, who lives in East LA and says she’s learned not only to manage the stress of everyday life but has found peace within her community.

“A lot of people don’t have the time to seek mental health services,” said Crespo. “Their family, jobs all keep them busy. It’s what kept me busy from even considering it.” 

The gardening workshop served more than as a stress-management course. It was also a space for the ladies to share the how these workshops have impacted them earlier in their life.  

“I think I would’ve been a more prepared adult,” said Crespo.  “Even the thought of mental well-being was so looked down upon.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that nearly 2.3 million adults over the age of 65 suffer from serious mental illness. 

“Mental health is so important right now especially after the pandemic,” said Garcia. “It is something we need to prioritize and take care of ourselves.”

As Garcia continues to innovate workshops for her community, she is sure of one thing: The stigmas around mental health are becoming a thing of the past.