The Shades of Blue Project presents
Mental Healthwith Friends
The Leaders’ Table
A WE CHOOSE JOY Friendsgiving
A seat for you.
Room for care, connection, and JOY.
Join leaders, business owners, advocates, and community builders for a shared meal and an intentional conversation about mental health, the responsibilities we carry, and the support we need.
Reserve My Seat (opens Google Form in a new tab)Please RSVP only if you are committed to attending.
Seating and meals will be planned around the reservations we receive.
Meaningful
conversations
Real talk about mental health,
leadership, and support.
Good food
A shared meal that
brings people together.
Real connection
A space to be seen,
heard, and supported.
Lasting care
Making room for care in
our lives and communities.
Hosted byKay Matthews
The people who show up for others
deserve care, too.
About the Series
Mental Health with Friends brings people together around food, honest conversation, and community. The Leaders’ Table welcomes people who lead organizations, build businesses, advocate for change, and care for others—and creates room for their wellbeing as well.
Rooted in The Shades of Blue Project’s maternal mental health and community-care work, this series invites us to consider how support shows up in our own lives and in the workplaces and communities we help shape. November is our first gathering, with more conversations and shared tables to come.
Learn More About the Series
Before founding The Shades of Blue Project, Kay Matthews built a cakes and catering business. After the stillbirth of her daughter, Troya Simone, she experienced postpartum depression that went unrecognized. Her journey brought her from the culinary industry into maternal mental health advocacy.
Today, this dinner series brings food, honest conversation, and care together for the people who spend so much of their lives showing up for others. Come on your own or invite a friend. Each guest should submit their own reservation.
Who’s Not
at the Table?
Who have we stopped seeing? Who needed to step away? Whose needs have gone unrecognized? And where have we been missing from our own care?
This conversation invites us to reflect on the people and experiences that are often left out—at work, in our communities, and in our own lives—and what it means to make room for them.
ThursdayNovember 19, 2026
6:30–8:30 p.m.Central Time
In PersonHouston, Texas
Hosted byKay Matthews
Venue details coming soon.
Add a calendar reminder · A reminder does not reserve a seat.What to Expect
A thoughtfully prepared
Friendsgiving meal
An intentional
conversation
Opportunities to connect
and build community
Room for reflection,
enjoyment, and JOY
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should attend?
Leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, advocates, culinary professionals, healthcare and birth professionals, and community builders. No particular title is required—there is room for the person behind the work.
Can I come on my own?
Absolutely. Come on your own or invite a friend. Each guest should complete their own reservation so we can plan seating and meals.
What if I have dietary restrictions or accessibility needs?
The reservation form includes optional spaces for dietary and accessibility requests. Share what would help you participate, or ask our team to contact you privately.
Is there a cost to attend?
Please review the current reservation form for attendance information. For any questions about admission, contact our team before reserving.
What if my plans change?
Please notify The Shades of Blue Project as soon as possible so we can update seating and meal plans. Reply to your event communications or contact our team.
Will there be future gatherings?
Yes. November is the first of more gatherings to come. Future dates will be shared as they are confirmed. You can contact our team below to ask about the next dinner.
Do I have to share? Is this therapy?
You can share, listen, or pass. This is a community dinner and conversation, not therapy or a clinical appointment. Your story is yours to tell. Visit our support page for additional resources.
Support the Series
Interested in supporting a future dinner through a venue, meal, sponsorship, or in-kind contribution?
Explore Partnership OpportunitiesWE CHOOSE JOY Collection
Carry the message. Support the mission.
Make room for a little more JOY.