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Conscious Queens workshop focuses on mental health awareness
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Growing up and coming of age already has challenges built in for young people, but when they experience gun violence in their community, their lives become even more stressful. And that violence has ripple effects that stretch far into their lives.
The Conscious Queens Wellness Workshop for Girls of Color program, which rolled out last year, is aimed at girls of color between the ages of 7 and 17, a time in their youth when the sounds of gunfire and the loss of friends to the streets should not be normal.
“The focus is to share techniques with the girls on how to manage their anger, anxiety from the traumatic encounters that they’re experiencing within the city due to the violence,” said Gina Booker, who leads the program.
Conscious Queens is a program of the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services.