Mental illness is a hidden epidemic that is elevated in the realm of athletics. Senior student athlete Olivia Lubarsky from Towson University founded the nationally recognized program, Own Your Roar, which aims to eradicate the disconnect between how mental illness and physical injury are portrayed and perceived. While striving to enact reform, Olivia shares that a healthy lifestyle values and validates mental health and physical health equally. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Olivia Lubarsky is a senior on the NCAA Division 1 gymnastics team at Towson University. Olivia is currently completing her degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Legal Studies, and a minor in Psychology. While at Towson, she founded the Own Your Roar initiative, which has received national attention and serves as a model for other institutions. Own Your Roar unites mental health and athletics, further utilizing sport as the platform to start the conversation. Mental illness is a hidden epidemic that is elevated in the realm of athletics. Own Your Roar aims to eradicate the disconnect between how mental illness and physical injury are portrayed and perceived. While striving to enact reform, Olivia shares that a healthy lifestyle values and validates mental health and physical health equally. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx