Stop Stigma Sacramento, a joint program of the Sacramento County Department of Health Services and the Division of Behavioral Health Services, organized “Journey of Hope,” an art exhibit that displays real-life stories of people living with mental health challenges. The stories are brought to life visually by local artists.
The art exhibit took place at Capsity on Oct. 10-12 and Oct. 17-19.
“It is the only intersection of art and mental health that I know of in Sacramento County,” said Amelia Baynes, health educator with Stop Stigma Sacramento. “It’s giving a voice to people who live with mental health challenges.”
Now in its eighth year, “Journey of Hope” was co-founded by Laura Asay-Bemis and Aunjuli Reese-Gifford. Both women turned their experiences with mental health into a mission to uplift others.
“The idea was to bridge the gap between those with mental illness and those without,” said Asay-Bemis. “Writers share stories of hope and recovery. Artists transform these stories into visual pieces. It helps people see mental illness in a new light, through creativity and connection.”
What began as a one-day exhibit has evolved into a multiweek display that invites the community to pause, reflect, and engage. But for both founders, “Journey of Hope” is more than an art show; it’s a conversation starter.
“There are communities that don’t even have words for ‘mental illness,’” Gifford explained. “But everyone understands emotion. Art gives language to what we don’t have words for. It’s a friendly way to discuss heavy topics, and it helps people feel seen.”
The exhibit included 44 paintings, poetry, and mixed media, each piece inspired by personal accounts of resilience. Visitors were invited to leave handwritten notes of feedback for the artists and writers, which are delivered directly to them after the show, an intimate reminder that their stories have touched someone else.
That personal connection is the soul of “Journey of Hope.” “It’s not about how good the art is,” Gifford said. “It’s about bringing humans together, giving people a space to express and be heard.”
Among the featured writers this year was Waynette Brock, a trauma-informed recovery specialist and CEO of One New Heartbeat Inc., who uses journaling as a tool for healing. Another writer, Dutchess Battle, a spoken word poet and mental health advocate, turned her piece “Unchained Soul of Depression” into a raw reflection on freedom from emotional bondage. Her words, displayed beside her art, served as “both mirror and medicine,” offering comfort to anyone navigating unseen battles. Artist Debra Ledsinger, owner of DELEPHOTO, and a professional commercial and portrait photographer, created the art called “Non-linear healing” from La Viola Ward-Tofani’s story.
Tofani’s story centered on how she grew up in a home where depression, anxiety, and therapy weren’t discussed.
“Raised by a strong Black single mother in a strict Pentecostal home, I was taught that prayer was the answer to all struggles,” she stated in her write-up, which was depicted as art.
That sense of shared humanity is what Asay-Bemis and Gifford hope people carry with them after visiting.
“We want folks to walk away knowing that recovery is possible,” Asay-Bemis said. “Mental health isn’t something to hide from. It’s part of being human.”
Though the county has been the primary funder, changes in funding have prompted the founders to continue “Journey of Hope” independently. Next year, they’ll partner with One New Heartbeat to keep the exhibit alive and expand it. Plans already are underway to bring the show to other California counties.
“The county can’t guarantee funds for the show anymore, but we want it to continue,” Asay-Bemis said. “We’re just that passionate about it, and we don’t want it to end.”
Asay-Bemis said the partnership opens new possibilities for the exhibit to expand beyond Sacramento County.
“We’re even thinking about bringing it to nearby counties and, eventually, in the future, maybe doing one for veterans, calling it something slightly different, that could be hosted on military bases,” she said.
With fresh partnerships and an expanding vision, “Journey of Hope” continues to evolve, proving that the show’s message of healing, hope, and connection can travel far beyond Sacramento.
