For Brooke Winstead, her mental health challenges centered around what she describes as “isolation.”

“Being transferred from UC Blue Ash to DAAP (University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning), or to UC main campus in general, it was a big transition,” Winstead said. “The classes were smaller, small population … (now) it’s like everything is so spread out. It’s not a lot of people who look like me in my classes.”

It was a hard adjustment for Winstead, majoring in urban studies. But with Hopeful Empowered Youth (HEY), she found her footing through an outlet to build bonds and innovate solutions.

“This is a very different time where most people, they spend a lot of time by themselves,” Winstead said. “They may not have that community; community is not what it used to be.”

Winstead is now helping the organization devise and implement a 10-year plan that lays out a guide for working with schools and caregivers to improve youth mental health outcomes in a 12-county area.