Sandy Chen currently studies social work and psychology at UMBC. She loves to read, write, travel, and listen to music. She has lived with a mental illness for almost half of her life and has spent the past several years working with organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and United Chinese Americans (UCA) to advocate for those who feel voiceless when it comes to speaking up about their mental illness. She has shared her story with middle and high school students and families through NAMI’s Ending the Silence and Family to Family programs. She has also spoken at UCA conventions and webinars. By sharing her story, she hopes to encourage and empower those who have been told that “other people have it worse” or that “it’s all in your head” to speak up and keep fighting.