Denice Ocana

Denice Ocana is a first-generation Mexican-American college student living in NYC. She is a City University of New York (CUNY) student born and raised in Queens and studying psychology while minoring in anthropology, hoping to advance into a master’s degree program to study School Psychology in order to be there for future youth in whatever way she can. At the Children’s Defense Fund-New York she serves as a Youth Action Organizer. In the past, she has worked as a Mental Health Advocate with the Mental Health Awareness Project at the Youth Advocacy Corps. In her role, she was able to grow her passion for mental health and self-care as well as spread awareness and aid. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, reading thrillers and mysteries and self-help/psychology books, as well as cooking and baking goodies.

She is passionate about mental health and how it intersects with the many social justice issues one may face growing up such as poverty, neglect, racial injustice, along with the many other issues those growing in the foster care system may face such as emotional and physical abuse. During the briefing she led with members of the New York delegation in Washington, DC, Denice stated, “The healthy mental and emotional development of youth is critical and for transition-age youth, this healthy development is difficult to achieve. Many of these youth have been through traumatizing experiences …. Moments like these leave mental and emotional wounds that need healing.” Denice hopes to have an effect on the improvement of mental health conditions within the foster care system. With proper mental health support, transition age youth can better their quality of mind, helping to result in a better life.