Locker Talk®

In my Locker Talk® concept podcast which consists of: Women's Locker Talk®, Men's Locker Talk™, LGBTQ+ Locker Talk™, and Locker Talk University™, I articulate stigmatized topics that may or may not be discussed both openly and behind the scenes in our sports environments and communities today. They certainly were not during my time as a competitive distance runner when I struggled tremendously with Depression, eating disorders, food insecurity, suicidal ideations, and much more during my time competing as a member of UCLA's cross country and track & field teams. My simple hope for my Locker Talk™ concept is to use the art of storytelling with some help from some highly-esteemed professionals I've met along my journey to carry the love that I had for my sport and athletics as an act of love, compassion, and mental and emotional wellness, not self destruction. Regardless of your sport or lack thereof, demographic, gender identity, sexuality or race, I welcome any and all to my locker rooms to listen and hopefully take the stories and resources I share as a roadmap to something that you might be currently undergoing.

Host

Hannah Valenzuela

Hannah Valenzuela is a former Nationally ranked, Division 1, UCLA athlete that is a National Champion, two time U.S. National Team member, and has competed in two World Championships. Valenzuela earned double degrees from UCLA in Food Studies and Gender Studies '21. After experiencing an abrupt halt to her elite distance running career due to her struggles with mental health, she is passionate about spreading mental health awareness to collegiate and sports environments. Valenzuela believes that navigating the collegiate sports climate needs to not be addressed as a one size fits all approach as each individual is unique to their own set of circumstances.

Check out Valenzuela's petition here: https://www.change.org/p/ncaa-grant-student-athletes-an-additional-redshirt-opportunity-for-mental-health