Welcome to our summer 2023 interns! We’re excited to learn and grow alongside these passionate mental health advocates for the duration of their internship. Our interns are involved in every facet of our work, from our communications and social media to Active Minds’ daily operations, to our mental health programming and community-building. Keep your eyes out — you might just spot them at our Conference this summer!
Chi Akano (Communications)
1. Where are you from?
I am from Baltimore City, MD.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I am a senior at Towson University, double majoring in psychology and philosophy.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I have always been very passionate about mental health, and I appreciated that Active Minds gave me the opportunity to write about it and contribute to the conversation about mental health in a positive way.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
I really want to learn gardening and carpentry. It’s hard to incorporate new hobbies at the moment with school and work. I occasionally volunteer with my local Habitat for Humanity and urban farm, but if I had the time, I would invest more heavily in it.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
My favorite work of art at the moment is a book called “Freshwater” by Akwaeke Emezi. It explores the topic of mental health by using spirits from Igbo mythology. I really resonated with the main character, and reading it helped me feel closer to my culture as a first-generation immigrant.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
I move constantly. I go to the gym, am a yoga instructor, rock climb, and am an aerial dancer. I prioritize movement because I feel like our minds’ health is dictated by our bodies’ health. It also gives me a sense of accomplishment and confidence that I can do anything as long as I try.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
I would tell my younger self that it’s okay to be who you are and you don’t need to change anything about yourself for anyone else.
Morgan Chochon (Development)
1. Where are you from?
I am from Omaha, NE.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I am a junior at American University and am majoring in international studies.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I saw the work that Active Minds was doing to help change the culture surrounding mental health, and I wanted to be a part of it. I know that starting a conversation with someone about mental health can be challenging. I really appreciate how Active Minds is working to normalize those conversations and let people know it is okay to ask for help.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
I would travel the world! I love learning about different people’s cultures and experiences, so I would try to spend time getting to know people in the communities that I visited. To stay connected with my family and friends, I would probably start a travel blog. And I would read a lot.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
I love the movie, “Mamma Mia!” Movies with songs have always had a special place in my heart, and the movie reminds me of my family and friends. I watched the movie with my mom for the first time, went to the play with my family, and loved listening to the soundtrack with my friends.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
I love going on long walks and journaling.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
I would tell a younger version of myself to set aside more time to do things that make me happy.
Dee Cox
1. Where are you from?
I’m originally from Ohio.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I attend Towson University for graphic design.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I’ve always been really passionate about mental health awareness, having dealt with anxiety myself. I believe the best way to help others is through active education and outreach, and Active Minds does that with a level of sincerity that I find inspiring.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
I would spend SO MUCH time reading and putting together a massive library.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
My favorite work of art is currently Barbara Kruger’s “Belief+Doubt” on display at the Hirshhorn. It’s an amazing display of how powerful typography can be.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
I always take time to get outside and walk; it helps me detach from my work.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
Don’t get discouraged if you fail at something. Failing is just a part of the learning process. 🙂
Nya Jones (Chapters)
1. Where are you from?
I am from Lawrenceville, GA, by way of Las Vegas, NV.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I go to Howard University and am currently studying psychology as my major and photography as my minor.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I’ve always been big on mental health advocacy, and when I came across Active Minds, it fit perfectly into what I do at school now and what I want to do post-undergrad. I believe it would be a great professional development opportunity and a place to get my feet wet concerning my career path.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
If I won the lottery, I would spend my time choosing and investing in properties and stocks to ensure I wouldn’t have to worry about money again. But after that, I would definitely be spending my time traveling the world and checking things off my bucket list.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
My favorite piece of art at the moment is the Swing Low sculpture by Richard Hunt. It’s my favorite right now because it’s very complex to look at, but you can almost paint any storyline or picture of it as you’d like. It represents a band of angels or wings and signifies African-American spirituals.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
Some things I do to take care of my mental health are journaling, working out, and meditating.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
If I could give any piece of advice to my younger self, I would say to enjoy being a child because there is no need to rush into being an adult. Enjoy it while you can because you’ll never get to be a kid again.
Alissa Kato (Evaluation)
1. Where are you from?
A few different places, but most recently from Orange County, CA!
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I am currently attending Boston University to earn my MPH.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I have been involved in mental health advocacy as an undergraduate college student and previously worked at another nonprofit organization. So, I wanted to combine my knowledge from both experiences in one place!
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
This is a tough question, but I think I would spend my time learning new languages and traveling all over the world.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
I don’t know if this would count as a work of art. It’s up for debate, I suppose, but I just recently finished the third and final season of “Ted Lasso.” The show was really well written, in my opinion, and mental health was somewhat of a central theme.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
Going for walks in the park while listening to music, catching up with whichever drama or TV show I am watching, spending time with friends in person or virtually, and playing video games. Overall I am just trying to strike that balance between having some alone time and not isolating myself too much.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
Be kind to yourself and allow yourself to have grace. You are not perfect, and that’s okay!
Liah Lawson (Policy)
1. Where are you from?
I’m originally from Atlanta, GA.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I attend the University of Virginia and study public policy with an Indigenous studies minor.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I have been passionate about mental health for a very long time and saw this as an opportunity to engage in the mental health policy realm from the nonprofit sector. I wanted to enact change and learn more about the intersection of nonprofits and policy implementation.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
I would spend most of my time traveling or fostering pit bulls full-time.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
At the moment, I’d say SZA’s entire album, “SOS.”
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
I like to listen to music and take long walks to clear my head!
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
Don’t pigeonhole yourself! You don’t have to have everything figured out! Take some time and try EVERYTHING.
Alyssa Ledesma (NextGen Initiatives)
1. Where are you from?
I’m from the Philippines and Florida!
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
For undergraduate studies, I went to the University of Central Florida and majored in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in psychology and a certificate in leadership studies. I will be attending the University of Washington for a Master of Social Work.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I wanted to intern at Active Minds because I always resonated with the mission and Alison’s experience with creating Active Minds. Mental health has always been something I continue to navigate to enhance my well-being.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
I would honestly spend my time just being, whether that’s lying on the grass and looking at the clouds, walking around the city, or reading. I would also spend that time connecting with my family or friends that I have not been able to connect with. Being able to just “be” without having financial stressors or barriers would mean being able to be fully present and in the moment.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
I really enjoyed some movies and TV shows with lots of humanity in them, both fiction and non-fiction, such as “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “BEEF,” and “Jury Duty.” It’s reassuring to be reminded that we are all humans, are trying to navigate life together, and aren’t alone in our unique and individual human experiences.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
I enjoy spending time outside, being with loved ones, being creative, and doing my favorite cozy hobbies like reading, playing games, arts & crafts, and listening to music!
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
“The only thing you have to do is be yourself, and you are more than enough just by existing.” — Someone Who Learned the Hard Way
Eli Tapia (Social Media)
1. Where are you from?
I’m from Ellicott City, MD.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I attend Towson University and study marketing.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I have always been involved with raising mental health awareness and social media. Seeing this internship had both of my interests, and I knew I would learn a lot to grow personally and professionally.
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
I would spend my time traveling the world and exploring new cultures.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
My favorite work of art at the moment is a song called “Heated” by Beyoncé because the lyrics are so catchy, and the energy is great!
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
I crochet while watching a movie or show, or I cook something.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
Stop worrying about the future, start living in the present, and take risks.
Simmone Wallace (Operations)
1. Where are you from?
I am from Annapolis, MD.
2. What school do you attend, and what do you study?
I am a rising sophomore at the University of Delaware studying public policy with a minor in organizational and community leadership.
3. What drew you to want to intern at Active Minds?
I wanted to intern at Active Minds to get real-world experience in a nonprofit organization and better my understanding of the behind-the-scenes work. I am passionate about mental health and look forward to making a difference in any way I can with the Operations team!
4. Say you won the lottery, and you would never have to think about money again. What would you spend your time doing?
If I won the lottery, I would travel the world. I grew up exploring national parks and appreciating the beauty and diversity our world has to offer. Continuing this passion has always been a dream of mine that I would love to invest more time into.
5. What is your favorite work of art at the moment and why?
At the moment, the show “Ted Lasso” is my favorite work of art. It is a heartwarming and positive show while still being very funny. The show tackles many important themes that most shows don’t cover enough, like mental health, family relationships, personal growth, cultural differences, and more.
6. What are some things that you do to take care of your mental health?
To take care of my mental health, I try to connect with my support system as much as possible and surround myself with supportive, positive people.
7. What is some advice you would give to the younger version of yourself?
I would tell my younger self to embrace failure and learn from it.
If you’d like to learn more about what it means to intern with Active Minds, please visit our website. There you can find information about applications, responsibilities, and benefits of joining us as mental health advocates next academic year or summer. Thank you again to our wonderful cohort of summer 2023 interns — we couldn’t do this work without you!
