The following is from Ty Davis, Wichita Reporter at The Voice, a news source for the African American community in the Kansas City area and other areas in Kansas.

When it comes to mental health, poverty, and access to opportunity, too many Black families in Wichita have been left to struggle in silence. Barriers like stigma, mistrust of systems, and the lasting effects of poverty often keep people from getting the help they deserve. But for Jo Lynn Bright, Community Impact director at HopeNet, changing that narrative is personal—and it’s her life’s work.

“I really want all of Wichita to be well—not just pockets of Wichita,” Bright says. “That means health, well-being, families thriving, and kids getting the education and support they need. That’s what I want for our city.”

A journey rooted in service

Originally from Junction City, Kansas, Jo Lynn grew up in a large, well-known Black family. That foundation of community shaped her path. After earning a degree in Family Life and Human Development, she began a career focused on strengthening families—from working with the state’s Department for Children and Families to serving as a marriage and family therapist and now leading community outreach at HopeNet.

Jo Lynn understands the importance of representation in mental health spaces. As one of the few Black therapists in many of the places she’s worked, she says she never let race define the room—but she knows it matters.

“When people sit with you, and you use your skill, your expertise, your care—they don’t care what color you are if you can help them. But I also know that for Black families, it’s powerful to see someone who looks like them, to know they’re understood.”

Building bridges through Getting Ahead

At HopeNet, Jo Lynn leads BridgesICT, a HopeNet initiative, designed to break poverty’s grip and build trust where mistrust of mental health services has been deep. Through the Getting Ahead program—part of the broader BridgesICT Initiative—she and her team bring education, resources, and support to Wichita’s poorest zip codes, where Black families are disproportionately represented.

Getting Ahead isn’t just a class—it’s a call to action. Over 16 weeks, participants dive deep into the realities of poverty, the resources around them, and their own strengths and challenges. The goal: Create a “future story” that helps break dysfunctional generational cycles.

To support participants on this journey, Getting Ahead offers meaningful benefits:

  • A stipend at each session, recognizing participants’ time and effort
  • A family-style meal, creating a welcoming space and easing the burden of dinner
  • Free childcare, so parents can fully engage
  • A supportive environment, where participants build bonds and discover new possibilities

“This isn’t financial literacy,” Jo Lynn explains. “It’s an invitation to a mindset change. People walk away knowing there’s something better for them—for their kids. That’s what success looks like: transformed lives that impact generations.”

Facing stigma, offering hope

Jo Lynn is clear about the unique mental health challenges in Black communities. While anxiety and depression touch all people, stigma keeps many Black residents from seeking help until they’re in deep crisis.

“There hasn’t always been permission in our community to get help,” she says. “We wait longer. We carry shame, thinking it means we’re weak or can’t handle things. But that’s not true. We’re emotional beings, and sometimes life is heavy.”

HopeNet meets people where they are—offering professional therapy on an ability-to-pay basis and ensuring no one is turned away because of race, class, or circumstance.

Jo Lynn’s vision for Wichita

For Jo Lynn, the work is about more than individual success—it’s about collective healing.

“We want everyone to have the opportunity to thrive. I want to see a Wichita where Black families aren’t just surviving—they’re building futures, realizing dreams, and passing down strength to the next generation.”

HopeNet of Wichita, Kansas, is a faith-based nonprofit organization transforming lives through coaching and counseling. For 30 years HopeNet has provided mental health services based on clients’ ability to pay—all made possible by donor support.  Bridges ICT follows the principles of the Bridges Out of Poverty model for economic and social change and stability.

The aha! Process Getting Ahead program engages investigators (participants) in exploring the realities of poverty in their communities and how those realities impact them. They also explore the causes of poverty, the “hidden rules” of economic class, and ways to develop resources and build stable lives. Getting Ahead graduates build relationships across class lines and often join the decision-making tables in their communities.