Meet Teresa Zilk, Mental Health Panel Moderator

We are thrilled to introduce Teresa Zilk, the moderator for our upcoming mental health panel at the My City My Health Conference for the second time! Teresa is a powerful advocate for storytelling and mental health, bringing her unique approach to fostering empathy and understanding in every space she enters.

Teresa is the visionary behind Stories to Tell My Daughter. This award-winning storytelling platform celebrates the lived experiences of Black women and women of color in Des Moines and across Iowa. Through this platform, she amplifies voices that too often go unheard, creating a space for reflection, healing, and change. Her dedication to impactful storytelling extends through her business, Teresa Zilk Creative Consulting LLC, where she helps organizations increase their impact through workshops, facilitation, and participatory methods.

Her work has not only been recognized locally by outlets such as the Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Radio, but it has also reached national attention. In June 2022, Teresa's Stories to Tell My Daughter was honored in the national congressional record, and she was recognized as Iowan of the Week by Representative Cindy Axne.

As a speaker, poet, mental health advocate, and creative consultant, Teresa embodies the essence of the Gwendolyn Brooks quote she holds dear: "We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond."

We are excited to have Teresa lead this important conversation on mental health, and we know her insights will leave a lasting impact on all of us.

Special Thank You to The Directors Council for Sponsoring Our Mental Health Panel

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to The Directors Council for their generous sponsorship of the Mental Health Panel at this year’s My City My Health Conference. The Directors Council, a nonprofit organization formed in 2004, is comprised of Black CEOs and Executive Directors from the Des Moines area, each bringing invaluable lived experience and leadership. With over 300 years of combined expertise, their work is dedicated to addressing the disparities and inequities facing Black communities in Polk County.

Their unwavering commitment to collaboration and innovation in the fight for equity makes The Directors Council an ideal partner for our mental health panel. Together, we are amplifying the conversations and actions needed to create lasting change in our communities.

Thank you, Directors Council, for your continued leadership and for helping make this vital discussion possible!