Becky's Fund

📌Nationally, 40% of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Nearly 20% have seriously considered su***de, and almost 10% have attempted it.

🏛️In Washington D.C. 33.8% of high school students reported feeling so sad or hopeless for two or more weeks that they stopped participating in their usual activities.

🔦At the same time, research shows that strong connections, supportive relationships, and engagement in team sports can serve as powerful protective factors against poor mental health and suicidal ideation.

✨This is why programs like Men of CODE matter✨.

Too often, young men are taught to hide their emotions, carry their struggles alone, and wear armor instead of asking for help. Men of CODE creates a space where boys can take that armor off.
A space where they can be vulnerable, ask difficult questions, support one another, and build meaningful connections that go beyond the classroom.

Through honest conversations, mentorship, and community, learn that strength is not about silence—it’s about self-awareness, resilience, empathy, and the courage to reach out when they need help.

By investing in boys today, we are helping build healthier men, stronger communities, and a future where healthy relationships can thrive.

🙌Join us. Men of CODE 2026 starts this June.

🍃Please welcome Maggie as she joins our efforts in prevention and advocacy🍃

👋Hello, my name is Maggie Slusar. I am from Annapolis, Maryland and I am studying Politics Philosophy, Economics and Law along with Health Studies at the University of Richmond. I am interested in studying how legal systems and public health frameworks can collaborate to protect vulnerable populations and help them sustain long-term health and well-being.

I am especially interested in the intersection of law, trauma, and public health and how to help provide access to support and services and empower survivors in breaking the cycle of interpersonal violence. Through my studies, I have become increasingly interested in how legal advocacy can serve as a powerful tool to create systemic change and improve access to safety, justice, and support services for survivors.

Throughout my academic career, I have developed an interest in women’s rights and advocacy, public policy and education. I interned at the Anne Arundel County Circuit court where I’ve observed and worked on many criminal cases, including those involving domestic violence. I’ve also been a substitute teacher at a title one school, an experience that strengthened my understanding of the social and structural challenges many children and families face.

This summer, I hope to learn more about trauma-informed advocacy, survivor-centered policy work, and the role nonprofits play in advancing education and prevention efforts. I also hope to strengthen my skills in legal research, communication, public policy analysis, and community outreach, while getting hands-on experience doing intake.

After graduation, I plan to attend law school and pursue a career in trial law, with the goal of advocating for individuals whose voices are too often overlooked within the justice system.

Everyone has mental health💚

It’s okay to not be okay.
You are not alone.
Support is available, and healing is possible.

🙌Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is reach out, check in, and remind one another that we do not have to carry everything alone.

💚

✨Please meet Kristine Nguyen (she/her), who joins our team as our Communications, Development, & Social Media Intern✨

Kristine is a rising senior at University of Richmond majoring in Sociology with minors in Gender & Sexuality Studies and Africana Studies. Growing up in Northern Virginia near D.C., she is passionate about social justice, prevention education, and creating meaningful conversations around healthy relationships and domestic violence.

Through her studies — including coursework focused on masculinities — Kristine has developed a strong interest in understanding how gender socialization impacts relationships and why men and boys must be included in conversations around preventing violence. This is one of the many reasons she felt deeply connected to Becky’s Fund’s mission.

Kristine also brings experience in advocacy and communications through her work with her university’s WILL Program and as a writer and editor for Counterculture Magazine, a student-led social justice publication. She is passionate about using thoughtful, accessible communication and social media to educate and engage communities around important social issues.

This summer, Kristine is excited to gain hands-on nonprofit experience, strengthen her skills in outreach and communications, and connect with others who share her passion for advocacy and social impact.

Outside of school and advocacy, Kristine enjoys reading romance and fantasy novels, listening to music, singing, and weightlifting🎵🎤💪

Today, mental health is ranked as the #1 global health concern, surpassing cancer and heart disease.

In the United States, more than 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness, and 1 in 7 youth ages 6–17 experience a mental health disorder each year.

The more we talk openly about mental health, the more we can help end stigma, create supportive communities, and empower those who are struggling to reach out for help.

💚Remember: you are not alone.
You are seen, valued, and supported.
Help is available. Call or text #988.💚

Today, mental health is ranked as the #1 global health concern, surpassing cancer and heart disease.

💚In the United States, more than 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness, and 1 in 7 youth ages 6-17 experience mental health disorder each year.

💚Mental health deserves understanding, not shame or silence. Your experiences matter and your feelings are valid.

💚This Mental Health Awareness Month, we recognize the importance of supporting survivors with compassion, understanding, and access to safety and resources.

You are seen, believed, and loved. Help is available. Call or text #988.

On this , we want to celebrate and sincerely thank our incredible interns, Capri, Liv, and Emma.

Thank you for your dedication, time, energy, curiosity, & genuine commitment to supporting Becky’s Fund and helping advance our mission.

From stepping outside your comfort zones to build new skills like grantwriting, to practicing empathy and active listening, each of you has made a meaningful impact on our community.

Your support helps Becky’s Fund continue expanding our circle of care and advocacy while creating hope for the future. We are so grateful for the passion and heart you brought to this work, and we cannot wait to see all that you accomplish next.

💚Together, we are helping create a future where healthy relationships can thrive. Thank you🙌

Abuse is not always obvious or loud.

Sometimes abuse is strategic.
Provoking someone until they break down,
then documenting the reaction while hiding the coercion that came before it.

💡Judge Russell Minas recognized potential performance, provocation, and manipulation within the dynamics being documented by Dakota.

💡Judge Minas also questioned why Dakota was filming instead of prioritizing the child’s safety.

When we recognize coercive control and reactive abuse within legal systems and public conversations, we create greater understanding of how abuse truly operates.

By naming these dynamics, especially when child custody is involved, we are able to identify the abuse and its potential impact & then make the best decision to support the best interests and safety of the children involved.