Wildcat Alumni Spotlight:
Kweku Appiah
Since graduating from JVL Wildcat in 2022, Kweku has dedicated himself to becoming a musician. Realm is his stage name, and he has traveled to Ohio and as far as Ghana to perform his music. He writes, sings and produces within the Afropop/Afrobeats/Afro-Fusion musical genres. Kweku is inspired by spirituality to create music. He shared, “My musical background is heavily embedded in church and coming from a Christian home." His Instagram page is @realmofficial__ and his music is on soundcloud @ https://m.soundcloud.com/anodadimension
Kweku is most proud of: “Being heavily immersed in music. I had done a couple performances while attending JVL and since graduating I have done more. I recently met with Capitol Records. I know there’s much, much more of this coming in the near future.”
Kweku’s best memory from Wildcat: “The first day of school helped me build resilience, perseverance, and hope.”
Kweku's advice for current Wildcats: “Never underestimate yourself and lock in to reach your inner potential.”
If you know of or are, yourself a Wildcat Superstar Alum who would like to share an inspiring story with our community, we would love to hear from you! Email counseling@jvlwildcat.org
Mental health among LGBTQ youth
In 2022, the Trevor Project conducted a mental health survey among 34,000 youth who identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning). Youth of color represented 45% of respondents and 48% were transgender or nonbinary. According to the survey, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts have increased among LGBTQ youth across the United States. This is largely due to the stigma and discrimination they face in their families, schools and larger communities. Additionally, more than 80% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported increased worry about their access to sports, bathrooms and gender-affirming medical care due to legislation against the transgender community.
Gender-affirming and LGBTQ-affirming care in families, schools and communities can help buffer against mental health struggles. Advocacy and access to medical and mental health services are also crucial for this population. The survey found that 60% of LGBTQ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it; this was due to various factors, including affordability, lack of parental/guardian permission, fear of being misunderstood and fear of being outed.
The Trevor Project breaks down their findings according to age, sexual orientation, gender identity and race/ethnicity. Read more here: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/#anxiety-depression
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ youth. Anyone in need of peer support or crisis intervention can contact the Trevor Project via text, a phone call or chat: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
Resource of the Month:
NAMI-NYC
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy. They offer free support groups that you can join online or in person. Topics include:
- Family & Friends of People with Mood Disorders
- Living with Bipolar
- Living with Anxiety & Depression
- Living with Thoughts of Suicide
- Living with Addiction
- LGBTQ+
- Black Minds Matter
- Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders
- Familiares y Amistades
- Spirituality Speaks