Meet Vincent Atchity | Health Advocate & Community Health Worker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vincent Atchity and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vincent, how does your business help the community?
Mental Health Colorado is a non-profit, nonpartisan advocacy organization–we promote healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans.

Our staff and over a thousand grassroots advocates from all over the state (the Brain Wave!) work with allies across sectors to pass laws, change practices and build a movement to prioritize human health and well-being; increase access to housing, health care, supports, and services; and to broaden understanding that we err gravely when we discriminate–incidentally or systematically–against anyone (including ourselves!) on the basis of health–whether physical or mental.

Health equity is a wholeheartedly pro-human, pro-planet mission. Mental Health Colorado knows that Colorado should and can be the healthiest state in the nation–if we the people unite in coordinating our efforts, intelligence, and resources for that noble purpose.

Health is the greatest wealth–and the health of the community is the best measure of any nation’s greatness. Mental Health Colorado tries to keep everyone’s eyes on the prize. From childhood to the end of life, all who live in this great state should be activated to fulfill their potential as members of our community–with whatever supports human ingenuity can devise to meet their health needs.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Mental Health Colorado is not easy work–except insofar as it is eased by being in the zone with whole-heartedness of mission. Everyone complains a little about Mondays, but Mental Health Colorado starts the workweek right off with some of the toughest problems we face as a community–bullying, suicide and gun violence, overdose death, homelessness, solitary confinement; disparity and inequality. These are hard challenges to overcome and sometimes it seems like there is no end in sight. The main lesson we apply in our work is the moon shot lesson. When humans set their sights on doing something that’s never been done before, something that seems impossible–we succeed when we name the objective and when we gather the best minds together and ask them to find the way. That’s how humans do amazing things. We don’t need to know the way or all of the answers…we just need to name the objective and pull the best team together. Colorado can be setting an example of health and health equity for the nation and the world within the next decade. There’s the moon…let’s go!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
So many exciting places to eat in Denver! A friend was just in town and I enjoyed visiting Barcelona in RiNo for the first time, and also Sukiya Ramen on Pearl St. The Clyfford Still Museum is unique in the world and should not be missed by anyone with an appetite for twentieth century art. Staunton State Park is not far–a short, beautiful drive to get there and spectacular trails to explore. Or, drive west out of Sedalia until the pavement ends and the dirt road winds down to the North Fork of the South Platte–saw a whole herd of elk crossing the river, which runs crystal clear. Drive up to the summit of Mt. Blue Sky or up to the top of Loveland Pass where you can walk along the ridge of the Continental Divide and see forever.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Credit and recognition in Mental Health Colorado’s story–which began with its founding in 1953–are owed to the people of Colorado with lived experience of poor health and health disparity who have made Mental Health Colorado their voice for health equity. Care providers, educators, philanthropists, local government and state agency staff–from human services and health care policy and finance to public health and public safety and more, along with business partners, elected officials, grassroots advocates, and responsible voters–Coloradans in all these areas of effort have their own health stories–we all do!–and have been our local and state heroes in passing laws, changing practices, and investing resources and efforts intelligently.

I could start naming names but it would take pages and the story is ongoing…everyone’s got a role to play in prioritizing health and well-being for all Coloradans–it starts right where we are, wherever that is, and spreads out from there. Add your name to the ranks of allies, if you don’t see it there yet! Visit www.mentalhealthcolorado.org to learn more and to join the Brain Wave.

Website: https://www.mentalhealthcolorado.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentalhealthcolorado/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mentalhealthco/

Twitter: @atchityCO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthCO