Josiah Jones, English major in UD's Associate in Arts program: youtube.com/watch?v=rVG31wu0w0Q

Spotlighting mental health

Article by Karen B. Roberts Photos and video footage courtesy of Josiah Jone | Video by Jeffrey C. Chase October 14, 2020

Josiah Jones is creating original content around mental health awareness

Editor’s note: Research, community service, internships and study abroad typically make summers memorable for many University of Delaware students. While the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sidetracked some of these activities, UD students continued with hundreds of remarkable projects remotely. Check out our series of profiles and stories, which also are being highlighted on the Summer Spotlight website.

Josiah Jones is an English major from Bear, Delaware. He expects to graduate in May 2022.

Q: What are you studying, where and with whom?

Jones: I am working with the National Alliance of Mental Illness in Delaware (NAMI Delaware) under the guidance of David Teague, professor of literature at the University of Delaware Associate in Arts Program in Wilmington. NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to creating better environments for every American affected by mental health issues. I am producing informative media surrounding the topics of mental health and the African American youth for NAMI Delaware.

So far, I’ve created a blog post surrounding my individual thoughts about the climate of racial ambiguity in today’s America and video essays reviewing movies and books that have important mental health takeaways. I’m also working on a small one-to-two-episode web series about the average life of people my age and what goes on in our heads.

Q: What inspired this project?

Jones: African American mental health is a part of my life entirely. I can organically create projects and resources for people that are just like me because I am the demographic. Movies tell stories with plots and moments and emotional breakthroughs that occur that people may not even see. Through the content I’m creating for NAMI Delaware, I want to teach without telling, to give people the ability to analyze situations on their own so they can form rational, logical thoughts. I think this is more important than telling people what to do. People know usually what the answers are, but that doesn’t mean they know exactly what to do with them. Using movies, I am trying to create a long-lasting ability for people to detect the underlying messages — and lessons — in life, not just those on the surface. The hope is they will develop the ability to apply those lessons to their own lives.

Q: What is it about this topic that interests you?

Jones: My day and age is a time where everything is hitting you at once. A lot of young adults don’t have time to take a break and think about their mental stability or what’s happening in the world around them. If I can help people find peace in my writing, then I can feel that I’m doing my part for the community. I want to write and create content for people who need help, to bring them emotional calm, momentary bliss — especially today.

Josiah Jones is an English major from Bear, Delaware. He said he expects to graduate in May 2022.

Q: How has COVID-19 shaped your plans for this project? Is flexibility something that comes easily for you?

Jones: I am not sure what my project would have looked like if COVID-19 wasn’t present. In a way, something flourished from having fewer resources at my disposal because of the virus. I had to sit and think with my organization and professor about an idea that would work completely. I’ve learned a lot, including how to produce cohesive and informative products on a time limit that I can be proud of. My ability to research and obtain knowledge from different forms of media to help increase the level of legitimacy for my projects has definitely gotten better. And I’ve gained a newfound work ethic, learned to care about what I’m doing and to have patience because I’m not going to be able to create something that will change lives in one day.

Q: What are the possible real-world applications for your study?

Jones: African American people my age or younger can gain solace in my projects and be able to find something new in themselves that they did not know was there before by thinking about how my writing or videos relate to their lives. I’m trying to give them the tools to connect the dots and to learn from things that they watch or read. Also, I’m trying to help them be aware of the tools that they already have inside of them. I’m bringing this insight to the youth in my community so we may thrive in our future endeavors.

Q: How would you explain your work to a fifth grader or someone’s grandparent? (Feel free to use an analogy if that helps)

Jones: If I was talking to a fifth grader, I’d say that if they read my work or view what I’m doing that they can gain a better understanding of themselves and get an early start on social awareness. If I was talking to a grandparent, I’d say that I’m trying to prevent their grandchildren from having to go through the same hardships as them, by helping these children understand where they are and how they fit into the world. This to me is the end all be all of parenting.

Q: What advice would you give younger kids (middle school or high school) with similar interests?

Jones: I’d tell them the world is their oyster, and they have a plethora of ways to express themselves. My generation is just figuring this out. Younger kids need to learn to articulate themselves early. A baby knows how to express themselves — they cry. A five-year old knows, maybe they draw on the wall. It’s important that today’s kids continue to learn to express themselves early, so when they face adversity in life later on, they know how to speak their minds — people can’t read it for you. Understanding yourself won’t give you power against how other people treat you, but it can help you withhold the power someone else has over you.

Q: Have the changes required by the pandemic changed your perspective on anything?

Jones: I think about my parents more. I live with them so I’m not going out all the time to see people because I know I have to go back home to them. The pandemic has taught me to be much more responsible for my actions. I’ve learned to trust the thoughts and instructions of my elders less. I take what they say into account, but I don’t just blindly listen to what people older than me have to say—I take their input and make my own decisions. Just because someone is older than me doesn’t mean they’re completely smarter or wiser.