Jake has made it his mission to make an impact on mental health and change the way we look at it. After multiple suicide attempts and being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and psychosis, Jake looked to create new programs and spaces to help others not feel so alone. Jake received his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota in 2020. He works to actively change the stigma surrounding mental health through hosting the Destroying Depression podcast and co-founding the WeCan Movement. The WeCan Movement is a mental health organization that aims to bring programs and safe community spaces to young adults throughout South Dakota, building a network of supportive individuals.
“The hard part about mental health is when you struggle with it you believe truly that no one understands you. We hold these feelings in, in fear of not being heard. It’s up to us as leaders to create spaces and bring opportunities and hope to our youth struggling with these issues. It’s my belief that the majority of lives would be saved if we had one person, we felt we could talk to.”