Helping girls ages 10 to 16 learn more about the mental and emotional health resources available to them was the focus of a weekend event in Rochester.
The event at East High School on Saturday was the fourth annual Mother Daughter conference, and it was put together by an organization called You Are Beautifully Made.
Ronieka Burns, the founder and CEO of You are Beautifully Made, was inspired to start the organization six years ago after her daughter was diagnosed with mental illness. Burns said she looked throughout the community to try to get some resources and support for her family.
She said that it was difficult to find that support.
“So I created this organization to provide a platform for mothers and daughters to get the resources that they need to focus on mental health,” Burns explained. “We deal with relationship-building and coping mechanisms and everything for everyday life, just to show support and love.”
Burns’ goal is to continue helping mothers and daughters build their relationships and raise awareness of signs of mental health and how to cope with it.
One attendee at the Saturday conference was Tanya Dawson, a medical assistant at Rochester Regional Health who is raising two of her young nieces after her brother died.
Dawson said this event was an opportunity for children to hear from other adult, to help enforce what parents and guardians are saying.
“It takes a village to raise a child and this is part of a village that is going to help impact so hopefully this message and these presenters will be part of a village that will help your child in any way,” Dawson said.
