On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Juan Acosta! Juan is a mental health advocate, activist, and author, whose advocacy work began in his hometown of Woodland, California at age 13. Since then, Juan’s work has focused on underserved communities, specifically the LGBTQ+, Immigrant, and Latinx community, and has impacted not only communities in California, but across the country and world. In this episode, Michael and Juan discuss the importance of making change at a local level, always keeping in mind the “why” when doing work in your community, and prioritizing collaboration in the pursuit of positive change. Additionally, Juan shares the critical role that acting with intentionality and respect plays in creating a foundation for bringing people together.  

Key Takeaways:

- Start with change at the community level

- Remember why you are doing the work

- Collaboration is crucial - allowing everyone’s voice to be heard yields the best results

- Make spaces safe through actions, not words alone

- Show up as you are - have respect for everyone

Juan’s Media Recommendations:

- Healing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health by Dr. Thomas Insel (Book)

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Find Juan’s work

- Juan’s website: https://www.juanacostaofficial.com/ 

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!