LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Monica Lopez Morales, who has lived with epilepsy for more than 40 years, said stigma about the condition remains in Latino culture.
“Unfortunately, within our Latino culture, there’s still a lot of stigma,” Lopez Morales said. She said some people think epilepsy is “superstitious.”
Misconceptions while growing up
Lopez Morales said misconceptions about epilepsy were common while she was growing up as a Latina. She referred to “el ojo” as an example of cultural beliefs.
“Those are things that we’re trying to educate them about and make them realize, no, this is a real neurological condition,” she said.
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Auraclipse works on awareness
Lopez Morales founded Auraclipse, an organization working to break stigma and reduce cultural barriers related to epilepsy awareness in Las Vegas.
“One in 26 people will develop epilepsy here in the United States,” Lopez Morales said. “That’s a lot.”
“The Latino, the brown and black community have a lot of people living with epilepsy and are not able to get the same information,” she said.
Events, workshops and support groups
Through community events, workshops and support groups, Lopez Morales has been working to spread the message that not every seizure looks the same and that it’s OK to not be OK.
Lopez Morales said she is passionate about advocating for people living with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and hidden invisible disabilities.
“Just to make people understand that, one, you’re not alone,” she said.
For more information and resources, visit the Auraclipse website.
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