My name is Aliyah Clark, and I am a recent high school graduate and a publisher/author from the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. I serve as the secretary of Thrive Chicago’s Youth Advisory Board, which consists of nine young adults representing South and West Side communities. The Youth Advisory Board empowers youth voice and informs Opportunity Youth strategies by providing insights and grounding in the Opportunity Youth experience.
The Covid-19 virus swept the world in a matter of months. The year 2020 quite possibly changed the world forever. Adjusting to the new “normal” has not been easy, and it has taken took a toll on everyone. I experienced the despairing effects firsthand when my senior prom and graduation were canceled, and the school went completely virtual. Having some of the biggest events of my life taken away was agonizing. In 2020, I joined the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) at Thrive Chicago in hopes of helping the community. The first year of the pandemic was extremely tough for everyone, and mental health became a greater issue. Everyone faced the challenge of adapting to the widespread crisis. Riddled with fear, anger, and disappointment, everyone was taken by surprise.
“I experienced the despairing effects firsthand when my senior prom and graduation were canceled, and the school went completely virtual. Having some of the biggest events of my life taken away was agonizing.”
Aliyah Clark
African Americans constantly face racism in America. Not only did we have to deal with the virus, there was also civil unrest caused by the murder of George Floyd. Between riots, protests, street violence, starting college, and work, there was little to no time for me to focus on mental health. It was the most difficult year I have experienced; the sad part about it is that I am not alone in this realization.
Although 2020 was a rough year with many obstacles, I managed to pull through. With the rise of mental health awareness, Thrive Chicago partnered with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI’s training for the YAB helped me sort out my emotions and realize that I was not alone. A huge component of the YAB is mental health. Partnering with NAMI was a step forward for the group because we were able to figure out what people needed most and take action. With the guidance of NAMI, the YAB held two events related to mental health, the Knox Fresh Check, which distributed compliments and flowers to 40 young people, and Día de Los Muertos, which engaged community members in discussions about grief in the Little Village community of Chicago. Both events were a success in raising mental health awareness and helping others.
With the two-year anniversary of the global pandemic just passing, everything is slowly going back to normal. This ongoing experience will continue to shape the world we live in. It has changed my outlook on life. The undervalued acts of going to gatherings and face-to-face interaction will now be appreciated. After a challenging two years, I have more confidence to face hardships. Although we are uncertain what the future holds, we can be sure that we will have the resilience to overcome anything.
