INTRODUCTION
Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, she started her creative journey in the fifth grade by creating short films to share on YouTube. She launched her blog Hennessy and Happiness in 2017 as a way to share her life experiences and build a safe and supportive online community.
In December of 2019, Maya graduated from Spelman College with a B.A. in Psychology. During her time at Spelman, she had the opportunity to work with several major media companies and television networks including BET and Her Campus Media. Today, Maya continues to bring a fresh perspective to tough topics, educating the community through humor, inspiration, transparency and creativity.
Maya Eaddy is a self-taught graphic designer, filmmaker, writer and animator. She is passionate about using her creativity to advocate for important issues such as mental health and sexual violence.Check out her animation video, Healing from Sexual Trauma.
SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW
How can we encourage more people to seek mental health treatment?
I think that simply being open about our experiences with mental health can encourage others to seek help. Sometimes it's easy to bury our emotions and ignore them, but just hearing a friend say "Yeah, I've felt the same way. You're not alone" can be enough to encourage someone to go to therapy or try a few healthy coping mechanisms.
What are your top 5 favorite wellness and self-care strategies?
Journaling. Anxiety typically makes my mind feels like it's constantly running at 100mph, so taking time to sit and write helps me gather my thoughts.
Talking to a close friend. It helps to just talk things out with a trusted friend and get encouragement
Taking a long shower/ doing a face mask/ doing my makeup. Anything that involves me taking care of my physical appearance. I believe that if I look good on the outside, it can help me feel better emotionally.
Watching a funny movie or tv show.
Spend time with family/pets.
Guest Contributor
Maya Eaddy is from Atlanta, GA and graduated from Spelman College in December 2019.
She is a self-taught graphic designer, filmmaker, writer and animator. She is passionate about using her creativity to advocate for important issues such as mental health and sexual violence. During her time at Spelman, she had the opportunity to work with several major media companies and television networks including BET and Her Campus Media. Today, Maya continues to bring a fresh perspective to tough topics, educating the community through humor, inspiration, transparency and creativity.
