It’s no secret that youth and young adults across the United States are currently experiencing a mental health crisis, and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ young people are disproportionately affected. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 42 percent of high school students experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness — a 13.5 percent increase from 2019 and a 50 percent increase from 2011. At the same time, it was found that all 50 states had fewer than ten facilities with LGBTQ+ services per 100,000 children, and in 2020, “…Black and Latiné children were 14 percent less likely than White children to receive treatment for their depression.”
Dedicated investments must be in safeguarding and caring for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and young adults’ mental health — and now, in partnership with Urban Outfitters, Active Minds has created a space for the next generation to lead the way in cultivating those very resources.
The 2023-2024 Your Voice Is Your Power (YVYP) Student Advisory Board comprises four young adults who will help Active Minds research and develop new mental health resources for college-aged BIPOC and LGBTQ+ young adults. The board members will receive training in research and content development, learn leadership and collaboration skills, have the opportunity to network with leaders in the mental health field, and participate in advocacy efforts that will reach the entire nation through the co-creation of new resources. Meet the new YVYP Student Advisory Board members below, and if you’d like to learn more about the program, please email communications@activeminds.org.
Charles Ellis
Charles (he/him/his) is 20 years old and originally from Reynoldsburg, OH. He currently attends Miami University of Ohio as a biomedical engineering major. In his free time, he loves to play the piano, go on hikes and runs, lift weights, volunteer in his community, and hang out with those closest to him. Charles is very passionate about destigmatizing mental health illnesses and currently serves as the co-president of Miami University’s Chapter of Active Minds. He decided to join the YVYP Student Advisory Board because he wants to further contribute to making a change to destigmatize mental health illnesses in the Black community and foster safe spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people.
Daby Ibegbu
Daby Ibegbu (they/them/theirs) is 21 years old and originally from Lagos, Nigeria. They graduated from NYU this summer with a B.A. in music and a minor in film and new media. They are very passionate about social work and mental health advocacy, specifically working with and providing practical support to the Black, Immigrant, and Queer communities, and so they joined the YVYP Student Advisory Board. Daby is currently working toward a career in data analytics, hoping to focus on social work and non-profit organizations. They love music and filmmaking, and you can always catch them with headphones on! Daby loves making playlists and is always happy to share music recommendations (their current favorite album is JAMIE by Montell Fish, and their favorite song is Mnike by Tyler ICU). They love traveling and have spent the last few years hopping between Lagos, Abu Dhabi, and New York. In their downtime, they enjoy reading, journaling, and rewatching shows they will never get tired of (they’re currently on their fifth “New Girl” rewatch). They also love exploring arts and crafts.
Jatzary “Jaz” Pérez Avitia
Jatzary “Jaz” Pérez Avitia (she/her/hers) is 21 years old and a senior at the University of Central Arkansas. She is pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). She is very passionate about staying true to her roots and helping her community. Self-care is really important to her, and she knows it may differ for everyone. She enjoys cooking, hiking, painting, journaling, exploring new places, and listening to all kinds of music. Jaz is very excited about this opportunity to work with the YVYP Student Advisory Board. Jaz believes having and creating accessible mental health resources for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and young adults is extremely important. It is especially important to ensure that the resources available are tailored to benefit an individual’s specific needs. Listening to everyone’s individual story and understanding their background and identity is essential. Finally, she hopes that she can be a voice for her Latino community.
Steve Wang
Steve Wang (he/him/his) is a 21-year-old senior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, double majoring in cognitive studies and psychology with a minor in data science. Before moving to college, he was originally from Queens, NY. Steve is very passionate about mental health awareness and advocacy, based on his own experiences growing up with intersecting identities and clashing views of mental health. He hopes that through the YVYP Student Advisory Board, he can give back to his communities and help spread mental health awareness in traditionally underserved populations!
