Breathe By Sal uses fashion to open mental health conversations in the Latino community

Breathe By Sal is a clothing brand that was founded in 2020 to support members of the Latino community facing mental health challenges, including anxiety, stress and depression. Although mental health affects many Latinos, acknowledging, discussing and treating it is still widely considered taboo. Through the brand, founder Salvador De Leon aims to break that stigma by using fashion as a tool.

Growing up in West Los Angeles, De Leon developed a passion for fashion early on, often standing out among his peers for his unique style. Even when playing basketball, he expressed himself through fashion, showing up in baggy jeans and jerseys. 

In 2019, he had a life-changing experience that pushed him on his journey to find himself again while he was dealing with anxiety and depression. “I literally woke up one day and I didn't even know who I was anymore. I felt like a change. I just kept crying every single day and just asking myself why? Why me? Why am I feeling like this?” he said.

Even his family and friends began to notice that he wasn’t himself. Realizing he needed help, De Leon admitted himself to the psychiatric unit at Kaiser Permanente’s emergency room. He described it as being in a windowless basement. “I remember everything I saw and thinking, ‘Yeah, no, I definitely don’t belong here,’ and even the security guard seemed to know it too,” he said.

Although phones were prohibited during the 24-hour observation, De Leon snuck his phone in. “I was scrolling through photos of my family and friends, remembering how happy I once was, and it became a moment of nonstop crying,” he said.

Experiencing the same emotions and mental health struggles his mother once faced when he was in middle school, he recognized the parallels and decided it was time to seek professional help. “There were moments when she didn’t want to leave the house. She felt like she couldn’t even walk, she also felt nauseous and dizzy,” he recalled. That memory became a full-circle moment, helping him realize he was experiencing anxiety himself.

Statistics show that only one in five Latinos with psychological issues talk to a doctor and only one in 10 seek treatment from a mental health professional. This means that people in the Latinx community often suffer in silence, which can exacerbate their mental health conditions.

“My parents were really supportive of me going to therapy and, you know, in a Latino household it's always like ‘oh no you're crazy, nothing's wrong with you’ and also the machismo surrounding the fact that we are being vulnerable and showing our emotions,” he said. “I truly thank my parents for really believing and actually guiding me to seek help.”

Through his therapy journey, he developed greater self-awareness and learned how to regulate his emotions when they felt overwhelming. “I realized that all I had to do was learn how to breathe again, and that helped me reconnect with myself. With the support of my family and friends, I also came to understand that I wasn’t alone. So if you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, or depression, remember you’re not alone. Stay strong. Always remind yourself: I’m in charge, and I can breathe.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting your business as a Latino entrepreneur?

“Here I am creating this brand and it's a mental health clothing brand. I feel like I was more worried about what people were gonna think of me. Like, are they gonna think I'm crazy or am I actually gonna get support from my community. When I first launched the brand within like 30 minutes I sold out of all the shirts and it was  the very first post that I did on Breathe by Sal and it was just talking about me dealing with depression, anxiety and stress. Just letting everyone know what the brand is about and what I've been going through for the past two years. Releasing that video really opened everyone's eyes and was like, wow, like damn, we didn't know you were dealing with that.

“I feel like that moment opened up a lot of people's eyes to just kind of express themselves. The biggest thing that I love is that I also created a platform where others are actually reaching out to me and they just talk about what they deal with and it just makes it a lot easier because, at first I felt like I was alone, like no one else is going through this but me. But now I started realizing that everyone deals with this. It's just a matter of how you manage it.”

Why do you think it’s important to start conversations about mental health within the Latino community?

“We always have to check in with everyone, friends and family. Right now it's a lot of stress and emotions. For me, the things that are happening, it's hard to control it. I wouldn't want my parents to be taken by ICE or anything like that because for me that's a really touchy subject because I've had friends and part of the family that got taken and it's a really strong feeling because I've been knowing them all my life and, and now they're gone. And you don't even know where they're at, and it's a scary feeling. I would share that it is definitely important to look out for your loved ones, check on them every single day.”

Have you seen any impact or feedback from customers about how your clothing has helped them feel seen or understood?

“I get the most feedback at pop-ups. Every time I do one, it's a random person that just comes up to me or they read the messages on the shirts. Right now I have a collection that says tu ansiedad te esta mintiendo, which means your anxiety is lying to you and when people read that it makes them think like their anxiety doesn't really have to let it take over them.

“Just a simple word can be a reminder to breathe or ‘respira’. My collection in Spanish right now has really been huge and I'm doing it for my culture. I'm doing it for my community and it's been a success, I'd say. When people come up to me it makes it feel like a lot easier to talk about what I've dealt with and what they've dealt with. There's been times where people have made me cry and I've made people cry in person and just to share that moment with someone random, it makes you feel even more special because that's why I created this brand so others can feel encouraged to seek help. Our parents from a young age tell us that you have to be a ‘macho’ and all this but it's OK to express yourself, you know, express your feelings and it doesn't make you look less macho, trust me. I'm glad I did it and it's changed my life and it made me find purpose in life.”

Are there plans to expand beyond clothing, like workshops, collaborations or mental health advocacy programs? 

“I've always wanted to be part of the mental health community even more, maybe even start programs for us Latinos to seek help or provide them with resources to seek therapy. I've been meeting a lot of Latino therapists which is amazing. I know therapy can be sometimes expensive and not everyone has good insurance. It's also really hard to find a good therapist. Just being able to help others, I feel like that's been a huge message from my brand. If I could make the community events happen, that would be really insane.

“I've been getting a lot of feedback from not just my followers but also famous people, artists and I've got a chance to meet quite a few inspirational people. I started a series called ‘Exhale with Sal’ and it's a series where I just ask one question, one mental health question to anyone and it just helps them kind of release. That's why I named it ‘Exhale,’ so they're releasing how they're feeling. My very first episode was with Becky G and that one was just amazing. I've been blessed to work with her. I feel like every year is getting better and obviously there is space for improvement but I'm not here to just collect, I'm here to share a message and hopefully inspire the next generation.”

Where do you see your brand in the next five years?

“The goal for me, I'd say, is to definitely be more of an international brand. When I went out to my hometown in Jalisco in Mexico, I was just like, wow, like I could really see my brand out here, and maybe open up a storefront. That's always been the whole vision of really having not only just a storefront, but like a space. I just want to see a lot of growth. I just turned 31, so I'd be 36, but hopefully, even a lot more than what it is right now.”

What advice would you give to other Latino entrepreneurs who want to combine business with social impact?

“You never know who's listening or who’s watching. If you have an idea or just something, definitely go for it, especially in our Latino culture. I'm a Hispanic male, let's say someone else is watching what I'm doing and they've always had that mindset of, ‘oh maybe one day I'll create something like what he did or just wow, he went to therapy. I wanna go to therapy. He's a Latino. I look up to him.’ That's what I want to strive for.

“If you have an idea, go for it, don't be scared to create something only because so and so might not like it. You never know that idea can actually be life changing and if you ever need any help with anything, I'm always an open book. I've always been that type of person that wants to help others succeed as well.”