I created StillMakers as an innovative community initiative that aims to teach middle children about mental well-being through DIY projects that ease stress and anxiety. My project targets students in grades 6-8th in the period of their lives when most teens are exposed to anxiety for the first time but fail to seek help out of fear of being judged or not knowing where to turn.

Underneath Black Girl Standing the Sun, I organized and led a book donation drive at my high school in MI. After a week with boxes in several locations in school, we collected over 100 books. I partnered with and donated books to a local organization “Making Spirits Bright, who gives books to underserved communities to prevent the “summer reading slide”.

Partnering with “Going to Distance with Miles.” I was able to help another local organization in downtown Detroit called “ “ give out coats, hats, and gloves to others. We were able to help more than 1,00 people that day stay warm in the mist if the cold winter.

Beyond crafting, StillMakers offers a safe and supportive space in which youth can discover self-expression, learn to understand their emotions, and connect with others. Kindness, both to oneself and to other members of society, is encouraged in my program. Not only do students learn to care for their own mental health through these exercises, they also become educated and empowered to help others who are struggling.