Josefina Abukhalil

Volunteering at the NAMI Walk was a meaningful experience that allowed me to support both the event and the volunteers who helped make it successful. Because I have participated in NAMI Walks before and serve as the President of NAMI On Campus at FIU, the volunteer coordinator asked me to assist her throughout the day. My role involved helping guide volunteers, answering questions, directing people to their assignments, and ensuring volunteers knew where they needed to be.

This experience strengthened my leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. I learned the importance of flexibility and teamwork when coordinating a large community event. It was rewarding to help create a positive experience for volunteers while supporting NAMI's mission of raising awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental health.

One of the most valuable aspects of the experience was seeing community members, advocates, and individuals with lived experience come together in support of mental health. It reinforced my passion for mental health advocacy and reminded me why I became involved with NAMI. Overall, the experience was both impactful and inspiring, and I look forward to continuing to support NAMI events and initiatives in the future.

Volunteered at the FIU Recharge Late Night Breakfast. For the most part worked serving croissant sandwiches at the back station, after we ran out, moved to the sweets section.

I volunteered in the Hygiene Drive organized by DEM x PhiMu for the Project T.E.E.N initiative was great. We collected hygiene objects and packed them into kits that are going to be donated to teenagers with epilepsy.

Volunteering at the Frost Museum Slow Art Day was an eye opening experience. Getting to bring an activation to life by creating a moving cloud showed me the importance of different mediums of art as self-expression. It was awesome seeing a group of people bring an artist’s vision to life.

Serving as Co-Director of Logistics for FIU Relay For Life was a rewarding experience that allowed me to help coordinate the flow of the event from setup through closing. I worked with our team to ensure speakers, activities, and volunteers were in the right place at the right time so the program ran smoothly. Seeing the FIU community come together to support survivors, caregivers, and the mission of the American Cancer Society was incredibly meaningful. This experience reinforced how powerful collaboration and service can be in creating impact.

Leading a NAMI On Campus team to participate in the AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk was a meaningful experience that reinforced the importance of community in mental health advocacy. It was inspiring to see students, families, and organizations come together to raise awareness and support suicide prevention efforts. As a leader, I was proud to help bring NAMI members to the event and encourage involvement beyond campus programming. The experience reminded me how powerful collective action and open conversations about mental health can be in reducing stigma and supporting those who may be struggling.