4th annual Paint Walk for Teen Mental Health held in Miami

MIAMI — Hundreds gathered Saturday morning at D.A.S.H. High School in Miami for the fourth annual Paint Walk for Teen Mental Health, an event honoring the life and legacy of Kennedy Bailey while raising awareness about suicide prevention and mental health resources for teens.

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Hosted by the Kennedy Kids Foundation, the walk began at Kennedy’s former high school in the city’s Design District and included a route to Wynwood Walls and back.

Participants received Kennedy Kids Foundation T-shirts that they customized with spray-painted messages of hope and encouragement.

Attendees also took part in activities including rock painting, leaving uplifting messages along the route for others who may be struggling.

The event aims to raise support for teen mental health education, suicide prevention programs and resources for families nationwide.

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Local 10 spoke with Kennedy’s mother, Tina Bailey, who said returning to D.A.S.H. each year is emotional, but seeing the community come together gives her family purpose.

“It feels like community,” Bailey said. “And that’s what we wanted to create — a community. We want people to feel safe to come and get help and we want to provide resources and tools for them because we really don’t want no one else to feel alone.”

Organizers said the annual walk is designed not only to honor Kennedy’s memory, but also to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health struggles among teens and encourage families to seek support when needed.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available by calling or texting 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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