The City of Wasco recently hosted its first Mental Health Awareness and Arts Festival, bringing the community together to break the stigma surrounding mental illness and celebrate creativity. Organized by Councilmember Gilberto Reyna and Wasco Tribune Editor-in-Chief Veronica Jacuinde, the event aimed to foster awareness and support for mental health through art, performances, and community resources.
Held on March 30, which coincides with National Bipolar Awareness Day and the birthday of renowned painter Vincent Van Gogh—believed to have suffered from bipolar disorder—the festival aimed to highlight the importance of mental health education and advocacy.
Sponsored by the Orange Heart Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Kern County (NAMI), the event took place at the Wasco and Shafter Elks Lodge, with additional support from numerous local organizations. More than twenty community groups participated, offering resources and services to attendees. Making Others Better Cornhole, known for its involvement in local fundraisers, was among the participants. Previously, the group raised $25,000 for autism awareness.
The festival featured performances by local talent, including Rebeldes De Rimo, Lost Vinyl, Ballet Folklorico, Planet Dance Studio, and poet Whitney Ballard. Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains made a special appearance and was honored as Health Advocate of the Year.
Art was a central element of the festival, with works displayed by local Latino artists Leo Alvarez, Jose J. Silva, Irma Ceja, and Carmen Herrera. The festival also showcased artwork created by incarcerated individuals from Kern Valley Prison, as well as a special exhibit by the Lopez family focusing on the impacts and perceptions of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Among the festival’s highlights was a replica of Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” painted by self-taught Wasco artist Leo Alvarez. The piece, which took a week to complete, will be displayed permanently in downtown Wasco. Carmen Herrera, a Delano native known as “La Pintora De Jesus” for her religious artwork, led community members in painting Van Gogh’s “The Mulberry Tree.” Meanwhile, Shafter native Jose J. Silva exhibited his impressionistic realism pieces, which draw inspiration from his life and surroundings.
During the festival, Jacuinde shared her personal journey with bipolar disorder, which she was diagnosed with over twenty years ago. She credited NAMI with providing her the support needed to navigate her diagnosis. “We partnered with National Alliance Mental Illness Kern because it’s an outstanding organization and one of the largest and most important advocacy groups for mental illness,” said Jacuinde.
In 2024 alone, NAMI provided eight support sessions for adults with mental health conditions, focusing on understanding their disorders and promoting recovery. The organization’s mission is to offer hope and support free of charge to the community.
Jacuinde emphasized that the event encouraged her to be open about her mental health journey.
“I wanted to bring this organization to Wasco because I know there are a lot of people like myself who lived in silence, who perhaps were ashamed, like I once was of having a mental illness,” she shared.
The festival also addressed the mental health disparities faced by the Hispanic and Latinx community, including language barriers, socio-economic challenges, and limited access to services. According to NAMI, only 35.1% of Latinx adults receive mental health treatment each year. In Wasco, where the population grows annually by 1.87%, access to mental health care remains limited, with only one facility serving the area.
“There are so many people that suffer from mental health issues. Mental health is health, so this is an issue that needs to be addressed. Everyone needs to discuss mental health. We do not need to live in shame. We need the resources and the education to adequately address this,” said Jacuinde.
The festival was made possible thanks to contributions from sponsors such as Dr. Michael Hare, Knights of Columbus, Strata Credit Union, and the Wasco Rotary Club. Jacuinde expressed her gratitude to everyone who supported the event, hoping that it would continue to grow and inspire more open conversations about mental health in the community.
