Out of the Darkness Walk

The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks are a signature outreach and fundraising series for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) held at college campuses nationwide. The JHU Out of the Darkness Walk is an annual event to support mental health awareness, suicide prevention, community connectedness, and hope. This year’s walk is happening on Saturday, April 11, 2026. https://afsp.org/jhu

While there is the option to fundraise, there is no expectation for participants to do so. The main goal of the campus walk is to bring the Hopkins community together in solidarity and support of those who may have experienced suicide loss or struggled with their mental health, and to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental health on campus. Register at this link. https://afsp.org/jhu

Donations support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you choose to fundraise or donate, funds will go to fueling the mission of the AFSP by funding research grants, providing outreach and education programs, advocating for public policy, and supporting survivors. Donations made directly to AFSP are tax-deductible.

We will walk rain or shine, and it’s mostly a flat route. The walk is a scenic route around the perimeter of the Homewood campus, about 2.3 miles (3.7km). Starting and ending at the O’Connor Center for Recreation and Well-Being, we will proceed along West University Parkway, San Martin Drive, and back up on North Charles Street. The path is mostly flat with sections on a slight incline. Should you need any mobility accommodations, please contact Carol Spencer at cspenc29@jhu.edu. Please note, this is a walk, not a race. We will walk as planned in light rain/drizzle. We will pivot to the indoor track if we have moderate-to-heavy rain the day of the event.
This event is more than a walk.

Doors open at 9:30am for day-of registrations, quick breakfast snacks and activities. Activities include a sign-making station to take on the walk, Kindness Rock painting (to keep or leave along the walk route for others to find), a photo booth station, the memorial wall where you can visit and add pictures or messages, and information tables staffed by Hopkins and community mental health resources.

Our ceremony starts at 10am. We will hear from our brave speaker and enjoy some uplifting performances before going on the walk. The event concludes with a raffle for well-being prizes and a brief mindful meditation to practice lovingkindness.

The vibe is supportive and hopeful. Visit the wellbeing blog for more information coming soon https://wellbeing.jhu.edu/blog

Interested in getting involved? There are still several ways to do so. We are still looking for: volunteers to help with outreach and promotion to increase registration/participation before the event; mental health-related organizations to table at the event; and volunteers to help with setting up the venue on the afternoon of April 10 before and for day-of support on April 11. If you’d like to get involved, email Carol Spencer cspenc29@jhu.edu and/or Megan Tassinari mtassin1@jh.edu.


Getting to the Out of the Darkness Walk is easy. We recommend that attendees coming from East Baltimore and Mount Vernon to use the free JH Shuttle Service. If you drive, metered parking is available around the Homewood campus on W. University Parkway, N. Charles Street, and St. Paul Street. On-campus parking is available at the North Visitor Lot, San Martin Garage, or the South Garage. Fees apply.

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Co-hosted with: A Place To Talk, PEEPs (Peer Health Educators), MHS - Homewood Counseling Center

Contact the organizers