Tomorrow people will gather at Riverside Park in Mount Airy for the “Fight for Our Rights” rally to support mental health programs.

The Saturday event will begin at 9 a.m. at the park. There people can register to vote, sign petitions, listen to speakers, and show their support for mental health programs.

Marlena “Marley” Breeding is the driving force behind the effort. As one who lives with mental illness, Breeding hopes the rally will raise awareness about funding cuts to mental health programs.

“They cut the budget, and I’m working on trying to get it back,” said Breeding.

After finding out that she might be losing some services due to budget cuts at the state level, Breeding decided to do all she could to stop the cuts. She began planning the rally, circulating petitions, sending letters to newspapers, and talking to elected officials. She plans to go to Raleigh to talk to state representatives.

Breeding hopes the rally will attract at least 50 people. The Gallery Group Studio in Mount Airy is putting its full support behind the rally.

Donna Jackson, executive director of Uptown Gallery and Gallery Group Studio, said the event is for “anybody who is of voting age, anybody that’s willing to reach out to give to humanity.”

Breeding explained that she wants people to register to vote at the event so that they can make their voice heard in the upcoming election.

“This is an election year, and if they are registered to vote, it shows our elected representatives that we can vote them in or out,” Breeding remarked.

She said many people don’t think the mentally ill have a voice. “We are not dollar signs ... My goal is to fight for our rights.”

Jackson said, “We’re so excited to make the community more aware of the needs.”

The Gallery Group offers a program for adults with disabilities, and Jackson said the program allows people to come out of their shells and to socialize. She wants people with mental illness to be accepted as regular members of the community and not be driven back into the shadows as a result of budget cuts.

Breeding said of the rally, “It’s just letting everybody know that we do have dreams, and we do have goals.”

Jackson supports the rally and Breeding’s efforts to let the community and politicians know that mental health services are important. She said, “The politicians have the power, and we just want them to know that we have the need.”

Breeding is afraid that the decrease in funding for programs to help the mentally ill will lead to an increase in suicides, hospitalization, and depression. With support from her caseworkers and people such as Jackson at the Gallery Group, Breeding is taking the initiative to prevent those things from happening.

“With their support, I found my voice, and I want to help other people find their voice,” Breeding remarked.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.