By Vanguard Staff
LAS VEGAS, NV — April Simpkins, the mother of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, will speak publicly about her daughter’s death by suicide during the 2025 Criminal Justice Mental Health Conference in Las Vegas. The two-day national event, presented by the Everyday Solace Foundation, will take place August 6-7 at the UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) Student Union and feature a series of conversations on reentry, mental health, and systemic reform.
Simpkins, a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Ambassador and New York Times bestselling author, is scheduled to participate in a special fireside chat on mental health alongside conference co-founders Dr. Belay and Shinita Reddick. Her daughter, Cheslie Kryst, was crowned Miss USA in 2019 and later worked as an attorney and television correspondent. Kryst died by suicide in 2022.
Simpkins’ remarks will focus on institutional responses to mental health needs, including within high-pressure professions and carceral systems. Organizers say her testimony will underscore the urgency of building a system that prioritizes care and support over stigma and silence.
“The 2025 Criminal Justice Mental Health Conference is more than a professional gathering—it’s a call to action,” said Shinita Reddick, President and CEO of Everyday Solace Foundation. “April’s courage, advocacy, and lived experience will deeply resonate with attendees and help drive the urgent conversations needed around access to care and stigma reduction.”
Dr. Belay Reddick, Executive Director of the foundation and a formerly incarcerated person, added: “Mental health is essential to a person’s life in the same way as physical health. It is important to normalize conversations surrounding mental health so people can feel empowered to seek the help they need.”
The conference will bring together a diverse slate of speakers, including Nevada Assistant Attorney General Christine Jones Brady, Nevada Department of Corrections Medical Director Dr. Kenneth L. Williams, Grammy-nominated artist SaulPaul, Bob Barker Foundation Executive Director Kurtis Taylor, and retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Captain Joshua Bitsko.
Tickets are available at www.cjmhconference.com. More information about the Everyday Solace Foundation can be found on the organization’s website.
