Gloucester resident Chelsea Jackson will join more than 2,000 other people to participate in a day-long 16- to 18-mile suicide prevention walk on June 1 in Washington, D.C.

Aimed at raising funds and awareness for suicide prevention, the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk is organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Jackson, a recent graduate of Shenandoah University with a degree in music therapy, said that she has a personal interest in suicide prevention because she’s seen her peers struggle with entertaining suicidal thoughts and because suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24 years, behind accidents and homicide.

"Seeing that need—that struggle—got me interested," she said. "I’ve always loved being there and supporting people in any way. When things scare people, I tend to walk toward them."

Jackson said that 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental illness at the tim...