IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH HAS COME TO A CLOSE BUT, CHANCE THE RAPPER'S NONPROFIT IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE CHICAGOANS HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE YEAR-ROUND IN AN INITIATIVE CALLED MY STATE OF MIND.
THEY HAVE 3000 DIFFERENT WELLNESS PROGRAMS SINCE THE INCEPTION TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS GET THE HELP THAT THE COMMUNITY SAYS IT NEEDS.
THAT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT CHANCE THE RAPPER HAS MADE AS A COMMITMENT.
I SAT DOWN FOR A WIDE-RANGING CONVERSATION.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT SOCIAL WORK, TO REALLY TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND AWARENESS?
>> I'M REALLY EXCITED.
I FEEL LIKE CHICAGO IS A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.
WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED THIS MY STATE OF MIND PROJECT TO CONNECT PEOPLE AND TO MAKE A PLATFORM FOR ALL OF THOSE SPACES, AND JUST TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE NEED IT.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS WORTH BRINGING ATTENTION TO?
>> WE AS A COMMUNITY, OVERWHELMINGLY SUFFER FROM POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS FROM A VAST VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE ACCESS TO CARE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
SO, MY STATE OF MIND HELPS YOU FIND CERTAIN PRACTICES OR PRACTITIONERS THAT SPECIALIZE IN WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED THROUGH CERTAIN TESTS AND AN EASY WAY TO GUIDE YOU TO FIND HELP.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY PERSONALLY WORKS FOR YOU WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A STATE OF MAYBE NOT FEELING CREATIVE, FEELING DOWN, FEELING SAD, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO GET YOURSELF UP AND READY.
ALBEIT AT HOME CHILLING OR ON THE ROAD, AND YOU HAVE TO BE ON AND PRESENT.
WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WORK FOR YOU?
>> I TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN I'M LACKING MOTIVATION, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE DEALT WITH DEPRESSION BEFORE, I DEALT WITH ANXIETY, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND I THINK WHAT HELPS IN ALL OF THOSE SITUATIONS, AND THIS IS BEING AMONGST OTHER PEOPLE AND CREATING SPACE FOR YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY AND PEOPLE AROUND YOU, TO EVEN SEE THAT YOU MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST DID A BIG BIKE RIDE, JUST A BUNCH OF FOLKS GOING OUT ON A RIDE TOGETHER, AS A WAY WE INVITE PEOPLE IN, WE ARE CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE NOT FEELING OKAY.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THINGS THEY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS ABOUT.
>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY GOING BEYOND SOCIAL WORK AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE GALLERY OF INCORPORATING ARTISTS IN A CREATIVE WAY TO SHOWCASE THEIR ART ALONGSIDE YOUR RECORDS, THIS VISUAL IS JUST A VERY DIFFERENT CREATIVE APPROACH TO STORYTELLING THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU.
I FEEL LIKE THAT HAS BEEN MY BIG THING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
GOING INTO MY COMMUNITY AND BUILDING CREATIVE THINGS, DEALING WITH HOUSING AND EDUCATION, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU NEED IN THIS GROUP.
THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.
DOING THE SOCIAL WORK RECENTLY IN THE FESTIVAL, ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT AND JUST TO STRENGTHEN OVERALL OUR COMMUNITY.
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO FUTURE SOCIAL WORK.
FOR YOU AS WELL, YOU HAVE YOUR SHOWS COMING UP, THIS IS YOUR ANNIVERSARY.
THAT IS REALLY WHAT PUT YOU ON THE MAP AND KIND OF STARTED THIS.
HOW DOES THAT FEEL FOR YOU, JUST LIKE A MOMENT OF REFLECTION AND GRATITUDE?
>> IT IS A REALLY COOL THING.
I REMEMBER VISITING A LOT OF THE SAME PLACES THAT I GO TO NOW, AND I FEEL LIKE IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO BUT IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I THINK TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE STILL HOLD IT NEAR AND DEAR TO THEIR HEARTS, AND THEY STILL SEND ME MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO THEM, THEY SOLD OUT OF THE CHICAGO SHOW SO FAST.
♪ >> I WENT TO COLLEGE IN WISCONSIN AND I KID YOU NOT, THEY WERE PLAYING COCOA BUTTER KISSING, I WAS LIKE ANGEL, HAVE YOU HEARD THIS SONG?
AND I WAS LIKE WAIT, WHAT?
>> IT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
>> YEAH, YOU WERE JUST STARTING, AND THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT MOMENT OF YOU BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU, I'M EXCITED FOR THE SHOW.
>> IN CASE YOU COULDN'T TELL, I WILL DEFINITELY BE AT THE CONCERT.
WE DIDN'T GET INTO THE DETAILS
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