The AAKOMA Project envisions a world where EVERY child, teen and young adult inclusive of all points of diversity feels the freedom to live unapologetically and authentically within an environment that allows them to rise and thrive. Our mission is to build the consciousness of intersectional Youth of Color and their caregivers on the recognition and importance of mental health, empower youth and their families to seek help and manage mental health and influence systems and services to receive and address the needs of Youth of Color and their families. We believe that to meet the mental health needs of Youth of Color, we need to operate at three levels - Raising Consciousness among individuals, Empowering People via providing accessible tools for ongoing management, and Changing Systems to receive youth and provide better care. The AAKOMA Project leverages a multifaceted approach to address the unmet mental health needs of Youth of Color and is designed for - not adapted to - the mental health & wellness needs of intersectional (including LGBTQ + Disabled) Youth of Color. We run programs based on 25+ years of academic and clinical research focused on Youth of Color and integrate our programming with research to actively build the evidence base on “what works” for Youth of Color. AAKOMA works with youth, communities, and systems to create lasting impact across all three levels and not just respond to crises. We seek to build capacities within both individuals and unjust systems – giving individuals and their families the ability to seek out, assess, and choose their own mental health and wellness care.
