- What's good, y'all?

Quick activity.

Raise your hand if you've ever had a mental health challenge.

Seriously, I can't see any of your hands.

But I'm guessing that some of you aren't telling the truth, because most of us have experienced a mental health challenge, but a lot of us actually don't wanna talk about it.

Why are we so scared to admit it?

Do we think it will impact our opportunities like school, career, relationships?

Today we're going across the street to Georgia State University so we can talk about advocacy, representation, and fruit flies.

Yeah, you heard me correctly.

Fruit flies.

(gentle bright music) (mellow music) You are into neuroscience.

How did you get there?

- So, it sounds kind of cliche, but since I was a kid, I really loved science.

And I wanted to understand the inner workings of everything around me.

And I think in high school I sort of realized that neuroscience was the path that I wanted to take mostly because I have some mental and cognitive differences in my family, and I found that really interesting.

- [Jordan] So, you won the 2021 Rising Black Scientist Award for an undergraduate scholar.

Congrats on that.

- Thank you.

Yeah, so the award was created by Cell Press and Cell Signaling Technology in order to highlight young, Black scientists and their stories, which I think is really great.

- [Jordan] So you go to Georgia State, which is in the heart of Atlanta, such a very big city, but you weren't growing up around that much of commotion?

- I'm from Wilson, North Carolina, which is a pretty small town.

A lot of the people there are related to me.

The change of pace was astounding, and I think that being able to go back home when I need to is a good base to have in my life.

(mellow music) - [Jordan] So were there any people that looked like you or made you feel represented in the neuroscience field?

- (exhales) Sort of yes and no.

There are a bunch of women, non-binary people, and I think that that makes me feel represented in that sense.

But most of them were White, especially at the upper levels of education.

Black In Neuro specifically was founded through Twitter.

It's encouraging, people making these smaller communities in order to create that representation for people like me.

(gentle music) I have severe major depressive disorder, and severe generalized anxiety disorder.

Basically, I am sad a lot of the time, and I am nervous about everything constantly.

There is a sort of like feeling of uncertainty or maybe mysticism surrounding mental health a lot of the time if you don't understand how it works.

And it's kind of like similar to "Scooby-Doo" in that you have a monster with a mask on.

But once you take the mask off, it's a lot less scary and more tangible so you can kind of tackle it and manage it a lot better.

But, it's getting easier.

Learning different strategies to help myself cope with some of my feelings and thoughts and emotions.

So one sort of ideology that I enjoy is the spoons metaphor.

Let's say that a person who has a typical brain has 10 spoons for a day, and brushing your teeth costs one spoon and driving to work might cost two.

There are some days when I wake up and I have two spoons.

So I can choose to do maybe an essay and eat a meal, and then I am out of commission.

And it's important to pace yourself in those situations.

It can happen to anyone.

And I'm really grateful that I am in a place now where I am getting better.

And even though I still experience them, I can sort of be a role model or mentor for people who might experience the same things.

- [Jordan] When did you start sculpting?

- I started sculpting a few years ago a little bit before the pandemic started, you know, I really wanted something to have as an outlet, so I got into clay crafts.

I also really enjoy being able to create things through art or writing.

It kind of creates this passion and gets me sort of ready to face the day again.

My cute little baby drosophila.

You know, that's my animal model.

- [Jordan] Baby drosophila.

I made a peace sign.

- I think that advocacy is sort of watching out for the little guy, and making sure that there is an environment where everyone can thrive.

'Cause I don't want everyone to get sort of washed out in the background, as we have been in the past in science.

I really want to continue working with specifically chronically ill, disabled, differently abled, neurodivergent populations, because the world isn't necessarily made for people who think or are different.

To me, hope is continuing on, even if you don't necessarily see the path forward.

It can feel scary and aimless at times, but walking when you don't see what's ahead of you, I think, is hope.

(mellow music) - Hey, I'm "Hope Givers" reporter, Beauman Ivester, and today we're gonna go ask people what they think about the word depression.

Hey, so what do you think about depression?

- Depression is a very serious problem afflicting our country today, and I think that it can be solved with several society changing aspects.

- Hey, what's up, man?

- Hey.

- Hey, so when you hear depression, what do you think about?

- I think about sadness.

- Upset.

- Alone.

- Debilitating.

- Sad.

- Sadness.

- Depression can have a lot of things underneath the umbrella, and it's mostly negative.

- Sadness.

I think it's an epidemic that we have in America that we still haven't solved yet.

- So, I think a lot of people think depression is something you can control, but I think it's a chemical imbalance that no matter how hard you try to will, a solution on your own may not happen.

So yeah, I think that's kinda, it's an imbalance in your body.

- [Cameraman] Alright.

- I'm "Hope Givers" reporter, Beauman Ivester, signing off.

(mellow music) - What's good, "Hope Givers?"

Today in the loft, I'm joined by my friend, Madeline.

And she was just telling me about this really cool thing called affirmations.

So, Madeline, what are affirmations?

- Affirmations are basically just 10 positive thoughts about yourself that you can say in the mirror or just out loud, depending on the situation.

And they really help to keep a positive mindset on your life.

- Yes.

- Yeah, and just like the current situation or whatever you're going through, whether you're self-conscious about the way you look, about your personality, or whatever it may be, I like to say mine with kind of like something to give myself hope, you know?

- Yeah, that's amazing.

So when you have this like anxious or nervousness, do you just repeat them softly to yourself?

Or, how do you do that?

- I either repeat them softly to myself, or go into the bathroom and just look at myself very objectively and just tell myself, "I am loved."

- I am loved.

- I am kind.

- I am kind.

- I'm courageous.

- I'm courageous.

- And I'm bold.

- And I am bold!

- Yeah!

- Okay, I like those.

- So, why don't you try to say some?

- Okay, I am honest.

I am grateful.

I am smart.

- Yes.

- I am beautiful.

- Amen.

- And I am a hope giver.

- Yeah.

- That's so cool.

So you have some tools, Hope Givers, to try this out on your own whenever you're feeling a little anxious, or just wanna boost yourself up.

Thanks, Madeline.

- No problem.

(mellow music) - Today's "Youth Across America" film is unfiltered by filmmaker, Kennedi Mannery.

(smooth upbeat music) - As a young girl, I was told to make sure that my relaxed, straight hair had not one 4C curl.

As a young girl, I was told to smile more, as my tall height was the scariest thing in the world.

As a young girl, I listened and heard how the women were treated when they had a little bit of girth.

As a young girl, I watched and saw how the women with a thigh gap were looked at in awe.

As a young girl, I wanted to be just like them.

I changed my body and sucked my stomach in.

Oh, but then as a teenage girl I was told to put on some weight, as guys didn't like girls who looked like they haven't ate.

As a teenage girl, I watched and saw the surgeries women go through to get the next new body to be looked at in awe.

As a teenage girl, I binged and binged to achieve the desired body that I wanted to no end.

As a teenage girl, I dreamed and dreamed to look like the women on my For You page who I had seen.

It wasn't until the age of 16 I realized that the filters are what made them so pristine.

The young girl in me fell for the facade so easily.

I'm so ashamed.

How could I not see that those women are beautiful, but so are the young women just like me.

(gentle piano music) (upbeat music) - What blew me away about Charleese's story is how openly and courageously she speaks about her severe, chronic mental illness.

In the Student Reporter section we talk about depression and what that looks like.

And we see a lot of teenagers talking about sadness.

And depression is not always sad and weepy and easily identifiable in that way.

Sometimes it is a complete lack of interest in activities, hobbies that people used to enjoy that they no longer take any interest in participating in.

How Charleese is able to overcome stigma is incredible.

She's suffering with a very severe depression.

That's very hard to talk about.

There's a lot of stigmas associated with that.

And her ability to speak so openly about the severity of her illness, what that does is it gives permission to other people who are suffering in that way to seek help.

- Do you know someone we should highlight?

Send us your suggestions, and keep holding on.

Oscar de la Renta said, "Your great strength is knowing who you are."

Don't forget to take the time to get to know yourself and love yourself.

In The Loft today, we have Jelani Imani performing "Virgo."

(mellow music) ♪ You said, oh, you said ♪ ♪ You said I'm so critical, yeah ♪ ♪ Critical, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, baby, now ♪ ♪ I shouldn't have to say nothing ♪ ♪ I shouldn't to feel no way ♪ ♪ I don't have to say nothing ♪ ♪ I don't have to feel no way ♪ ♪ I don't like anything ♪ ♪ Anything but you ♪ ♪ But you ♪ ♪ I just have taste, taste ♪ ♪ Ooh, tastes like honey ♪ ♪ Honey, honey ♪ ♪ Sometimes I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Always, I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Always, I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Most days, I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Always ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ I see you, shorty ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Shake that thang ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Go ahead, go ahead ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ Lets go ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ ♪ A little too serious ♪ ♪ I take it a little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Always, I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Always, I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Always, I take it a ♪ little bit too serious ♪ ♪ Most days, I take ♪ ♪ Bring it up, bring it up ♪ ♪ It a little bit too serious ♪ ♪ We gonna back it up ♪ ♪ Always ♪ ♪ Back it up, hey ♪ ♪ I take it a little bit ♪ too serious, always ♪ ♪ Go, go, go ♪ ♪ Go, Jelani, go, Jelani ♪ ♪ Go, Jelani, go, Jelani ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ Cut up then, cut up then ♪ - [Man] Yeah, well I personally really like your type, but it ain't gonna work for me.

- You gotta cut up sometimes, let a little loose.

You know what I'm saying, have a little fun, yeah.