The L.A. Sparks will partner with Los Angeles County to provide health and mental health resources to women veterans and overcome the stigma around mental illness, it was announced Tuesday.
The yearlong campaign — Spark the True You — will be the largest community-based partnership in WNBA history, according to the county Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
“L.A. County is home to the largest concentration of female veterans — over 30,000 women are subject to barriers in transition, suicide, military sexual trauma, employment, family and well-being,” said retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Ruth Wong, director of the department. “The Spark the True You campaign and partnership will build our female military community, turning adversity to advantage, by enhancing the physical, mental and spiritual capacity of women veterans and their families.”
Programming will include advocacy workshops, self-care and healthy lifestyle seminars, retreats, youth assemblies, sports clinics and athlete mentorship.
Dr. Jonathan Sherin, who leads the Department of Mental Health, said women veterans are critical to America’s future.
“Like the L.A. Sparks, L.A. County is upping its game by investing deeply in the collective well-being of this most noble and deserving population,” Sherin said.
Sparks head coach Derek Fisher, guard Karlie Samuelson and President and Chief Operating Officer Danita Johnson are set to attend a daylong kickoff event Friday at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall.
“Military women face hurdles in obtaining mental health services, medical services and support for traumatic experiences,” Johnson said. “I’m honored the Sparks will have the opportunity to work with L.A. County to play a role in normalizing the stigma around mental health issues and ensure military women and their families have better access to the resources they need to be successful and achieve their goals.”