Dante Moore Reveals Depression, Asks Governor for Help
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- Dante Moore wrote in a March 3 letter to Gov. Tina Kotek that he was depressed early in his college career, saying the pressure of being a high-level starting quarterback 'felt overwhelming at 18.'
- Moore asked Kotek to support the protection and expansion of virtual mental health services in Oregon, writing that he personally benefited from those services and that access to resources 'made the difference' in his recovery.
- Moore's mother, Jera Bohlen-Moore, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 during his first spring at UCLA and was declared cancer-free in summer 2024, a period Moore described as 'heavy in ways that are difficult to put into words.'
- Moore transferred from UCLA to Oregon and has continued supporting cancer awareness, while noting in the letter that 'as a young Black man and athlete, reaching out for help can often feel like climbing an uphill battle.'
- Moore said he recently challenged his Oregon teammates to 'lead beyond the field' and use their platform to support people who feel voiceless, adding that learning to care for his mental health made him 'a better leader, teammate, and student.'
Why it matters: Moore pairs a personal disclosure with a specific policy ask: protecting and expanding virtual mental health services in Oregon. By naming himself as a beneficiary of those services, he gives the governor a constituent case for telehealth access that targets young people, college athletes, and Black men — groups the source identifies as facing barriers to seeking care.
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