Featured Event 

Join us Sunday, May 18 for our NAMIWalks + Mental Health Street Fest at the Seaport! 

At our largest community event you can enjoy music, food, sponsor booths, activities, and more! Join us for NAMIWalks NYC. 

May 1-31: Make Your Miles Count, Anywhere in the World 

Run into wellness this month by joining the Virtual NYRR Mental Health Awareness Month Challenge. This invigorating challenge inspires everyone to seize the benefits that running provides for your mental well-being. Get moving and complete a total of 31 miles at your own pace, anytime and anywhere, from May 1 to May 31. Sign up today.  

Kids can also run or walk any distance. Make it extra special with a printable bib and an official Rising New York Road Runners finisher certificate. Register now.  

May 1: Mental Health Mayoral Town Hall 

On Thursday, May 1, 6-8 PM, the NYC Mental Health Collective invites you and the Mayoral candidates to a comprehensive discussion on critical mental health issues in our city and to explore actionable solutions to make a more healthy and resilient community. RSVP to attend in person at the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights, 450 Eastern Parkway. RSVP to attend the livestream watch party at NAMI-NYC.  

May 1-2: Meet Us at NYRR Run Center 

Kick off Mental Health Awareness Month with NAMI-NYC and NYRR. We’ll be tabling at NYRR Run Center from May 1-2, 4-7:30 PM. Bring your mental health questions and chat with us. Plan your trip. 

May 3: Get Zen with NAMI-NYC 

On May 3 at the NYRR Mindful 5K, NAMI-NYC will offer a “Zen Zone,” a serene space for meditation and mindfulness. With live sessions and self-guided audio recordings, the NYRR Zen Zone will support runners in their mental preparation for the upcoming race. Kids can still participate in the 5K for free. Register now.  

May 6-28: Cracked Open Play 

A powerful play exploring mental illness and family resilience. With a cast of 11 actors portraying 32 characters, CRACKED OPEN is a story of love, struggle, and the power of family. Shows run from May 6-June 28. Get a discount on tickets with code: TRCONAMI39. Get tickets today. 

May 7: Seaport MuralFest 

Join us on Wednesday, May 7, for the fourth annual Seaport MuralFest (East River Esplanade, north of the Tin Building at South & Beekman Streets, South Street Seaport). Presented by You Are Not Alone Murals, this annual event brings together artists and community members to spark conversations around mental health through vibrant, large-scale murals. Learn more.  

May 13-16: Bipolar Education Art Show  

Join us May 13-16 for Tyvette Symone’s exhibition, Reflections of the Human Condition, at Seven House Gallery in East Williamsburg, exploring her personal journey with bipolar I disorder. Check out the programming during the exhibition: 

• Tuesday, May 13: NAMI-NYC Bipolar Young Adult support group (RSVP here) 
• Wednesday, May 14: Talking Circle (RSVP here) 
• Thursday, May 15: Sound Bath (RSVP here) 
• Friday, May 16, 7-11 PM: Closing Reception and Artist Talk at 8 PM 

May 18: Sound Mind Concert for Mental Health 

Sound Mind has an outstanding lineup this year and new location. Walk with NAMI-NYC on Sunday, May 18 and then hop on over to Brooklyn Paramount for Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health with BØRNS, American Authors, MILCK & more. Use code SOUNDMINDFRIENDS for $10 off tickets. 

May 19: Self-Care Community Fair

May is AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month! Join NAMI-NYC and Korean Community Services on Monday, May 19, for this Community Fair to learn about mental health, ways to rest and recharge, and more. Reserve your spot.

May 21: Romance & Mental Health: Navigating Love Through Recovery 

Join NAMI-NYC virtually on Wednesday, May 21 from 6-7:30 PM for a presentation on building romantic relationships with someone who may be struggling with their mental health. In this presentation, Emily Grossman and Jennifer Marshall intend to debunk the myth that people with a mental illness can’t have happy romantic lives. RSVP today. 

May 28: The Transformative Power of Running on Mental Well-being Panel

Join New York Road Runners and NAMI-NYC on Wednesday, May 28, from 6-7 PM, in a discussion about the mind and body connection. Panelists Zac Clark (Founder, Release Recovery), Carla Murray (Support Groups Manager, NAMI-NYC), and Darleen Santiago (therapist and social worker) will provide insights into how running and physical activity have transformed their lives and, helped them cope, excel, and persevere. The conversation will be moderated by NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer. Register here.

May 28: Thrive Inside: Prioritizing Your Mental Health 

Join us on Wednesday, May 28, 12-1 PM for a lunch and learn with NAMI-NYC and NextUp, which advances women in business. We’ll dig into ways to incorporate mental wellness into your daily life routines and NAMI-NYC programs available to you. Learn more. 

May 30: Mental Health Book Talk with Lisa Genova

Join NAMI-NYC on Friday, May 30, 6-8 PM, at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP for an exclusive in-person book talk with Lisa Genova, New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice. Lisa will discuss her powerful new novel, More or Less Maddy—the story of a college freshman’s journey through the highs and lows of a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Sign up here.

 

May 31: NYRR Open Run for an Open Mind 

Join us at a special NYRR Open Run on Saturday, May 31 at 9 AM at Morningside Park to run or walk approximately 5K at your own pace. NAMI-NYC will lead conversations about the impact of physical activity on mental well-being. Additional Open Runs dedicated to mental health this month: Marine Park, Brooklyn (May 4), Soundview Park, Bronx (May 10), Cunningham Park, Queens (May 18). Sign up today.  

Learn more about Special Striders sessions for older adults.  

Featured Resource: 

Set the Pace Presented by Peloton Podcast recognizes Mental Health Awareness Month with discussions on yoga and mindfulness for runners, how to manage Half-Marathon and Marathon blues and much more. Tune in.