Z&P Investments Charity 1st Annual Mental Health Awareness & Stop Gun Violence Event

This past Saturday, August 30, 2025, communities across Atlanta gathered at the Redan Recreation Center in Lithonia, GA, for the 1st Annual Mental Health Awareness & Stop Gun Violence Event, presented by Z&P Investments Charity and hosted by Zee Ponder and as Carisha J. Doors officially opened at 11:00 AM, with programming running from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM .

This powerful gathering served three core purposes:

1. Uplifting the Community - The event centered on pulling communities together, fostering unity, and creating open spaces for conversation, recognition, and mutual support.
2. Promoting Healing and Resilience - Participants were encouraged to reflect, share experiences, and move forward with strength—making the day as much about emotional restoration as it was about advocacy.
3. Raising Awareness on Crucial Issues - By tackling the intersections between mental health struggles and gun violence, the event brought visibility to often overlooked challenges, emphasizing both prevention and compassion.

Why This Event Matters To The Community

1.    Breaking the Silence, Building Bridges -Too often,  
mental health concerns and the    repercussions of gun violence are treated in isolation. This event connected the dots, highlighting how emotional and societal wounds intersect—and can be addressed together

2.    Empowering Through Visibility - Exceptional for a first-time event, it brought attention to a deeply relevant issue while positioning the local community as both the audience and advocates. The inclusive messaging invited participants—not spectators—to engage

3.    Fostering Ongoing Momentum-This pivotal gathering lays a foundation. It signals future collaborations, stronger local networks, and a path toward sustained advocacy that may shape health policy and public dialogue within and beyond Atlanta.

Speakers such as Suchet Pierre, Shaun Brooks Jr. and Carmen Allison emphasized the importance of breaking the silence on mental health, supporting those impacted by violence, and building stronger networks across Atlanta. The atmosphere was one of reflection but also hope, with calls for continued collaboration to address these urgent issues.

Organizers say this is only the beginning, the event set the stage for future initiatives to further the conversation and provide ongoing resources for families and individuals in need.

In Summary, Atlanta’s 1st Annual Mental Health & Gun Violence Awareness Event was more than a conversation, it was a call to heart and action. On a beautiful Saturday, families, advocates, and allies came together at Redan Recreation Center to share stories, strengthen bonds, and shine a compassionate light on pressing challenges.

Atlanta Beatz Magazine was on the scene, capturing voices from the community and highlighting the movement toward change. Stay tuned for exclusive interviews and coverage as we continue to shine a light on the people shaping Atlanta’s future.