June 7th’s I Am Love® Event
- Litzy Rivas
- Jun 11
- 5 min read
On a hot summer day filled with excitement, gratitude, and dedicated guests and LYF staff, our team hosted the I Am Love® fundraising event at The Beverly Theater. The I Am Love® program aims to provide community resources and counseling services to artists and hospitality workers struggling with mental health issues. The event was brought to life with the hard work and dedication of the LYF team and amazing donors, spreading awareness and raising funds for the launch and execution of an initiative that aims to support the backbone of Las Vegas: its people.
Setting Up
With an amazing group of LYF admin, interns, and volunteers, the setup for the event was smooth and filled with excitement. With the team knowing their hard work would contribute to an amazing cause, they were eager to host an incredible event, and their efforts were recognized by the community.
The I Am Love® Documentary
The 30-minute film focused on Monica Garcia’s hopes and goals for the I Am Love(®) program. With the voices and stories of other individuals representing people in our community, such as a restaurant server and a professional in the mental health field, the film highlighted how anyone can suffer from mental health issues and that statistics aren’t numbers—they are human lives. Living in today’s society is not always easy and tolerable, but learning your worth and learning how to be a part of a community can ultimately save lives. Professionals can give coping mechanisms and help you through a difficult journey, but resources are not always affordable and easily accessible, which is exactly what the I Am Love(®) program and documentary wish to highlight and change.
Mental Health Panel
The mental health Q&A featured a talk with professionals in the arts and psychology field. One of the questions asked was, “What are some small ways you use to improve your mental health each day?” Each panelist answered with tasks anyone could do, such as petting your dog, dissociating when brushing your teeth, and so many other small habits. The panel showed that even when living different lives and working different careers, we all cope with being human through the small joys in life.
Interview
Following the mental health panel came the chance to network with guests, vendors, and LYF staff. LYF received the chance to conduct an interview with psychology professional Dr. AK Smee, founder of Smee Wellness & Concierge Counseling , who was featured in the documentary and mental health panel. Dr. Smee is also one of our donors who made this event possible, and we could not be more grateful for her support.
How do you think society has evolved throughout the decades about the topic of mental health?
Smee: I think it has gotten a lot better, and that’s actually one of the positives of social media. Now, we have this language that is destigmatizing mental health. Gen Z is knocking it out of the park, and you guys have such a great mental health vocabulary. We’ve had a great ten to fifteen years where we went from “You only go to therapists if you’re crazy” to now “Everyone should have a mental health professional. It’s normal to feel anxiety, it’s normal to feel depression.” I think the pandemic also contributed to that due to the isolation and getting people to start talking about it.
What do you hope younger generations will learn through the I Am Love® program?
Smee: I hope they learn that, first of all, it’s important, and also to respect hospitality workers. You’re not just there to serve people, you’re there as a human. Having respect in arts and hospitality industries, but also to understand that you’re not alone, everyone may feel the same way sometimes, and there is help out there with mental health providers and in the community, too. Mental health is no different than a common cold. Our health comes and goes and we need to treat it when we do feel those things.
Do you think community engagement is vital to spread your message across?
Smee: Absolutely. Without community, there’s nothing. The reason we have the society that we have is because people stopped isolating themselves. They started forming villages and towns and civilizations and it’s because we need each other. There are some things you do as a lone wolf, but then you bring your skills and your strengths into your pack, and then when you need strength from your pack, they’re there to give you those things, too.
How has art been crucial to healing mental health?
Smee: My Bachelor’s is in Art History and that gave me a lot of life. It’s stories about our explanations of the existence of life and the existence of the world. We’re all just trying to figure out why we’re here, we’re all just trying to figure out what our meaning and purpose is, and art is a reflection of that. If art imitates life and life imitates art, mental health is there, too. It’s reflecting something that we feel, something that we see, and something that we experience, and that’s important to our expression as humans.
Music
Those who wished to perform for the event were able to sign up through the open mic, from singing to reciting poetry.
The event was finished off with a band covering the song “I Am” by The Lique, in remembrance of Rasar Amani. The lyrics in the chorus—“I am love, I am peace, I am joy, that could never be destroyed”—holds the inspiration for the I Am Love® program and its mission.
Recap
In preparation for the launch of I Am Love®, it was and currently is important to remember why such a program is needed in our Las Vegas community. Artists and hospitality workers are the base for making Las Vegas such a loved community for tourists and locals, and if their mental health is not cared for, our sense of community will take a turn for the worse. It is important to remember respect and gratitude when it comes to those who dedicate their time and well-being to the heart of Las Vegas, as well as to remember that you are not alone.
Preparing for June 7, 2025 took hard work that began years in advance as a simple “What if?” Overall, the event would not have been possible without the support of our amazing donors, the vendors and guests who contributed, and, of course, the LYF team and readers!
About the Author
Litzy Rivas is an English major concentrating in Creative Writing at UNLV, who hopes to be a novelist and publishing editor once she graduates. As a Blog, Newsletter, and Marketing Intern for LYF, she hopes to improve her writing and editing skills with the help of the supportive LYF team and readers. Her interests include the Bridgerton and Heartstopper books and TV shows, K-Pop, anime, and her dream is to travel the world through the opportunities she hopes to gain through the creative writing field.
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