Psychology Professor Yun Garrison Receives YWCA Leadership Award for Community Healing Work

March 19, 2026 - 10:57

Assistant Professor of Psychology Yun Garrison was presented with the prestigious YWCA Lee Young Leadership Award on March 8th. The ceremony, held at the Hilton Garden Inn, recognized Garrison's profound dedication to fostering resilience and recovery through community-centered projects.

Garrison's impactful work is exemplified by her leadership in the Ka Bogso (Be Healed) initiative, a program designed to address collective trauma and promote mental well-being through culturally responsive practices. Further extending her commitment to public healing, she has been instrumental in the ongoing "Lewiston is Our Hope" community art installation. This project transforms public spaces into canvases for shared expression, aiming to unite residents and process complex community experiences through creative collaboration.

Colleagues and community leaders praise Garrison for seamlessly bridging academic psychology with actionable, grassroots healing. Her approach demonstrates how psychological principles can be applied outside clinical settings to strengthen community bonds and facilitate collective recovery. The award underscores the significant role of mental health advocacy in public leadership and celebrates a model of engagement where healing is viewed as a communal, rather than solely individual, journey.