Rep. Napolitano & World Boxing Council Join Forces to Knock Out Stigma
(Washington, DC) Yesterday, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32) welcomed to Capitol Hill a delegation from the World Boxing Council to raise critical awareness for mental health and eliminate stigma.
“We are honored to have so many boxing legends speak out on behalf of mental health, letting those suffering know it is always okay to seek help,” Napolitano said. “Boxers know very well the importance of both a person’s physical and mental health and how we cannot separate the brain from the rest of the body. We commend all of these champions and contenders for their dedication to our youngsters, and we proudly join them in the fight to knock out stigma.”
The group of boxing legends was in town for the WBC’s annual charity event, Fight for Children, which raises funds for educational and healthcare related programs for low-income children in our nation’s capital. Members of the WBC delegation included, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, Julio Cesar Chavez, Roberto Duran, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Mia St John, Erik Morales, Gerry Cooney, and Jill Diamond.
Joining Napolitano to greet the WBC delegation were several of her congressional colleagues, including House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), Reps. Peter King (NY-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Ben Ray Lujan (NM-03), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Pedro Pierluisi (PR), Hank Johnson (GA-04), and Corrine Brown (FL-05).
The WBC is continuing to raise mental health awareness as they did in 2014 through dedicating championship fights in May to National Mental Health Awareness Month, highlighting the color lime green for mental health, and advocating for related issues before Congress. Mia St John (four-time female world champion) and Jill Diamond (Multiple Emmy Winner and World Boxing Cares Chair) are members of Napolitano’s Mental Health Task Force, which seeks to increase access and awareness of mental health services, helping to rid the stigma against mental health. For more information, contact Napolitano’s Mental Health Legislative Assistant, Jonah Cunningham, at 202-225-5256 or jonah.cunningham@mail.house.gov.
If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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