Hannah has a powerful and inspiring story to tell of learning how her past experiences and her struggles with depression impacted her self-esteem and led to her disconnecting from education. Through the JMG program, she increased her confidence, found a sense of purpose and now she shares her story to help other youth who struggle with a sense of belonging. Most recently, Hannah was a panelist for Coffee with a Purpose - Mental Health Awareness: A Youth Perspective. She shared her mental health story and personal challenges, drawing awareness to the need for mental health education. She lifted her voice by writing an open letter to the Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction which was published on the 74million.org website. Hannah encouraged Superintendent Rice to introduce an informative mental health class in every school. She believes this type of understanding would help students feel more comfortable.
Hannah is the President of the JMG Career Association, leading, motivating, and empowering the other youth in the program and was named a Youth Solutions 2021 Exemplary Youth of the Year. As she continues to strive toward the goals she has set for herself, Hannah is the Chair of the Youth Solutions Youth Advisory Council (YAC) which was formed this past fall. The YAC is a group of emerging leaders who dedicate their time, talents, networks, and resources to raise awareness and support for the work and mission of Youth Solutions.
Read this article to learn more about Hannah’s mental health journey.