Isobel McClure, Contributing Photographer

“Mind Over Matter” — an annual fair hosted by the Yale Student Mental Health Association — was held on Cross Campus on Sunday afternoon. The programming included performances from Zaida Rio Polanco ’26 and Yale Student Marimba Band, alongside guided meditations and catering for attendees.

Organizations, including Elis For Rachael and the National Alliance of Mental Illness, set up tables, showcasing different displays. The outdoor setting marked a change from previous years, with the association hosting the fair in Berkeley College’s buttery and multipurpose room last year.

“Our main goal with this event every year is to spread awareness about not only the resources, opportunities to engage with Student Wellness here on campus, but also in the greater New Haven community,” said Hubert Tran ’27, co-director of the Yale Student Mental Health Association.

Tran said that the program was dependent on “close collaborations” with on-campus organizations — including YC3 and the Good Life Center — alongside non-profit organizations involved in mental health awareness and support, such as Actives Minds. 

He acknowledged that due to the association’s position as a campus organization, the majority of the event’s attendees tended to be members of the Yale community. However, Tran noted that through its collaboration with non-Yale-affiliated organizations, the Yale Student Mental Health Association could reach a broader audience.

“Being outside, I feel like, attracts a lot of people who are just walking through the quad,” noted Taylor Gainey, a representative for Alliance For Prevention and Wellness. “[The organizers] try to make it very interactive, especially just bringing more resources and materials to Yale campus.”

Shruti Parthasarathy ’24 SPH ’25 — the chair of the Yale Student Mental Health Association’s graduate branch — echoed these remarks. She hoped that the event would help publicize the existing mental health resources and support available for graduate students. 

According to Tran, the number of organizations participating in the event had increased from previous years. He emphasized that the association hoped to “revive” the event, noting that engagement had declined following the COVID-19 pandemic.

At 1 p.m., the Yale Student Mental Health Association began a scavenger hunt for the events’ attendees and participants, after partnering with Whales Of Yale, a student initiative known for hiding crocheted whales across campus. The association provided an additional hint about the whale’s location later in the afternoon. 

“We’re hoping to get to see people that usually wouldn’t approach La Casa and share the resources that we have available,” said Isabel Nuño ’27, a peer liaison at La Casa Cultural. “There’s so many ways to get involved, and not only for undergrads, but for graduate students and for people in the community.”

She emphasized that La Casa and its resources are available to all members of the community. Nuño noted that La Casa has YC3 officers who were specifically assigned to the cultural center, while peer liaisons for first-year students and student coordinators also offered support to community members.

She encouraged students to spend time at La Casa, whether that be to study or spend time with friends.

“Sometimes it’s scary to approach the center just because you feel like, if you weren’t there at the beginning of the year, you can’t come now, or if you’re not part of a club, then you have no reason to be there,” said Nuño. “But that’s not true … whatever you want, we’re there for that” 

Elis For Rachael was founded in April 2021.