STUDENT WINS AWARD FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY

George Floyd, there is a widely held notion that we currently exist in a moment of ‘Black renaissance,’ ” she says. “I believe this class is timely during this movement and is timeless as the ancestral well from which Perry draws his inspiration.”

In the class, titled In the Language of Folk and Kin: The Legacy of Folklore, the Griot, and Community in the Artistic Praxis of Tyler Perry, students are tracing Perry’s path of storytelling and community as rooted in African American folklore and literature in his films, shows, and plays. “The class is a fascinating introspection on Tyler Perry’s influence on formulating and representing Black culture,” says first-year student Zuri Greene 24Ox 26C.

Perry is a good friend to Emory: He gave the keynote address at the 177th Commencement this past spring, and he frequently engages with Emory students and faculty.

The middle-school classmates who nicknamed Emory College first-year student Kira Young 26C “the therapist” were on to something. Curious about how books and TV portrayed mental illness, Young had been researching the topic for years and discussing what she found with friends. When a student died by suicide during Young’s first year of high school, Young responded by launching several initiatives—including the Power of Okay website, which provides mental health resources and advice—to further educate herself and others.

That commitment to understanding mental health and pushing for more awareness recently led her to be selected as the national winner of the 2022 Anthony A. Martino Memorial Scholarship worth $10,000 and named for the franchisor of the Goddard Schools.

Some of Young’s goals at Emory include pursuing undergraduate research opportunities, finding ways to join existing organizations, and beginning to build the framework to create more mental health support for her fellow undergrads.

“College is tough. It’s a transition period,” Young says. “I’d like to work with anyone who is interested in making mental health resources more accessible for the entire campus so that even if it impacts one person, I can help someone going through something tough.”