Fight Club Takes the Stage at Kansas' Youth Suicide Prevention Conference

On August 10, 2026, Ryan Bevins and I had the opportunity to stand in a room full of people who have dedicated their lives to protecting young people and share with them what Fight Club is all about.

We were invited to present a breakout session at the Connect and Empower Con: Youth Suicide Prevention Conference at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. The conference, hosted by Beacon for Hope, HeadQuarters Kansas, and the Kansas Attorney General's Office, brought together educators, school counselors, therapists, administrators, and mental health advocates from across the state. The focus was practical: equip the adults in the room with tools they can actually use.

That is where Fight Club fits.

What We Shared

Our session was titled "Fight Club: Real Talk, Real Support, Real Impact." Sixty-seven people signed up. We were not there to talk about what Fight Club looks like on paper. We were there to show what happens when young people are given a space to actually talk.

The peer-led model is the core of everything we do. When teens sit with each other without adults running the conversation, something shifts. They stop performing and start being honest. They say things out loud they have never said before. Over time, they learn how to name what they are feeling, how to recognize when someone they care about is struggling, and how to connect that person with the support they need.

For a room full of school counselors and mental health professionals, that last part was the heart of our message. Adults cannot always be the first line of support. Peers often are. Our job is to give those peers the tools, the trust, and the space to show up for each other.

We also shared two stories, real stories from real Fight Club members, where peer connection directly contributed to preventing a suicide. We will never take those stories lightly, and neither did the room.

The Response

Before we left, three people approached us about bringing Fight Club to their communities in Wichita, Arkansas City, and the Fort Hays area. That is the kind of response that reminds us why this work matters well beyond Kansas City.

Youth suicide is a crisis that touches every community in this state. According to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 34. The adults in that conference room know those numbers. They live them. What Fight Club offers is something practical: a model that works, that teens actually engage with, and that builds the kind of real connection that can make a difference when it matters most.

What's Next

We are grateful to the organizers of Connect and Empower Con for the invitation and for the work they are doing statewide. If you work with young people and want to learn more about how Fight Club can support your school or community, we would love to hear from you.

Because this fight does not belong to one city. It belongs to all of us.

Fight Club is a space where young adults can openly talk about the issues they're facing, without judgment or pressure. Have questions or want to learn more about Fight Club? We're here to help. Whether you're looking to join, a parent seeking more information, or someone interested in supporting our mission, don't hesitate to reach out.