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Dior Vargas, MS, MPH
Mental Health. Racial Equity. Public Health.
Dior Vargas is a Queer Latina Feminist Mental Health Activist with extensive experience in advocacy and education.12 She holds an M.P.H. in Policy and Management from New York University, an M.S. in Publishing from Pace University, and a B.A. in the Study of Women and Gender from Smith College.2
Professional Background
Vargas serves as the Content Expert & Chair of Mental Health Panel at Our Bodies Ourselves Today.4 She is also the Health Equity Practice and Systems Manager for Race to Justice.3 As a mental health activist and public speaker, Vargas works with universities and corporations to discuss mental health issues, particularly focusing on the QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community.12
Advocacy Work
Vargas is known for her impactful initiatives, including:
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The People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project: Launched in 2014 to address the lack of media representation of BIPOC individuals living with mental illness.2
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The Color of My Mind: A photo essay based on her viral online photo series, showcasing the experiences of 34 individuals living with mental illness as people of color.2
Personal Experience
Vargas is open about her own mental health journey, living with PTSD, persistent depressive disorder, and traits of borderline personality disorder.15 She is also a suicide attempt survivor, which has informed her advocacy work and commitment to empowering others to take an active role in their mental health.1
Recognition
Her work has earned her several accolades, including:
- 2022 Mental Health Equity Journey Award from the NYS Office of Mental Health
- 2021 Mental Health Power 50 Listee by City & State NY
- 2020 D-30 Disability Impact List Honoree by Diversability
- 2015 Champion of Change for Disability Advocacy Across Generations by the Obama White House2
Vargas continues to be a prominent voice in mental health advocacy, focusing on intersectionality and empowering marginalized communities to advocate for their mental well-being.67
Highlights
I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Health Equity Practice and Systems Manager at NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene!
On Tuesday, on the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I had the honor and privilege to meet with Vice President Harris alongside other incredible disability advocates to discuss the impact of the Dobbs decision on the disability community. I am eternally grateful to have had this experience, and it’s a day I will never forget.
#mentalhealth #disability #reproductiverights #vpharris #thewhitehouse #ADA
Image Description: A large brown table in the middle of a room with the American flag and a sculpture of Thurgood Marshall in the background. There are 7 people sitting at the table with VP Harris at the head and 3 people on each side. Nameplates for each speaker is on the table.
Video Script:
Rohini Kosoglu: Next, we’ll turn to Dior Vargas, an advocate for mental health and disability rights.
Dior: “Thank you Madam Vice President for giving us this space to have this critical conversation.
I’m a Latina with blonde highlighted hair and I’m wearing a grey blazer over a black sheath dress.
The impact of the decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade cannot be understated. Right now, it is doing irreparable harm to people all across this country.
It disproportionately harms Black, indigenous, and other people of color. The LGBTQIA+ community. Those living in poverty. Immigrants. In particular, the disability community who is often left out of these discussions. The power to have autonomy over your own body is a critical component of mental health.
The disability community has endured a legacy of injustice, including forced sterilization and institutionalization. This decision is just another example of how these social structures do not view disabled people as human beings.
Mental health is deeply personal for me. It is inextricably linked to this attack on reproductive rights. Anxiety and depression are just some of the effects that people will experience because of this.
Every person who needs and or wants an abortion should have the right to obtain one. For people who are raped or have miscarriages, the trauma of experiencing either is compounded when you have to prove the validity of your experience to get the care you need.
For pregnant individuals in abusive relationships, being forced to carry the pregnancy to term puts them in a situation where they have to stay in an unsafe environment.
My work focuses on the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, and mental health. I've shared my own challenges with mental health because I want everyone to have the agency to advocate for themselves and get the support they deserve, which includes access to reproductive care.
I look forward to having a dialogue where we can uplift all communities and find a way to bring these rights back to those who need them the most. The fight is not over.”
VP Harris: “That’s right.”
