Mental illness stigma is an issue that plagues the mental illness community. The portrayal of mental illness victims in the media is, more than not, sensationalized. This has real-life consequences since it forms stereotypes and prejudice in the minds of the media consumers which in turn marginalizes members of the mental illness community. It keeps people from reaching out for treatment to avoid being social outcasts. Mental illness stigma makes the lives of people in its community unnecessarily difficult.

The best way of encouraging change in the media is to become part of the media itself. Music is a form of media that is accessible, widely consumed, and, in many cases, free. Telling the story of someone facing mental illness stigma through music allows for more people to be exposed to the harsh realities of people who suffer from this stigma. For this reason, along with Miller Galvis, I have co-produced an EP that tells our personal experiences with depression, specifically, through the lens of a representative protagonist. The EP was distributed to all streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.

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I am a senior student at Chinquapin Preparatory School and Posse Scholar for Colby College. I fell in love with music at a very young age, rap specifically. When listening to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, the track “u” struck a chord with me. Lamar’s thoughtful lyrics went into depth about coping with depression and the instrumental gave it huge replay value to me. It inspired me to tell my personal experiences through song. Aside from music, I am passionate about sports, economics, and working towards addressing income inequality in the United States.