Smash the stigma of mental illness to help others with mental health diagnoses find treatment, recovery, and peace. Hufsa Ahmad is a Muslim woman, social worker, and standup comedian who lives with schizoaffective disorder. Having transformed from a victim of her illness to a champion of recovery, Hufsa dedicates her life to smashing the stigma of mental illness and helping others with mental health diagnoses find treatment, recovery, and peace. She was awarded the Mental Health Association “Hope & Courage” Award and the National Alliance on Mental Illness “Next Step Award” for her advocacy efforts. She currently serves as the only person with a mental health condition on the Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled. She is pursuing her Masters of Social Work at CSU Long Beach and received her B.S. in Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College. 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