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Medina Jett
Mental Health Advocate, Real Estate Developer, Attorney & Author
Medina Jett
Mental Health Advocate, Real Estate Developer, Attorney & Author
Biography
Medina Jett is a mother of 3 young adults who was thrust into the world of mental illness when her son was diagnosed with a mental illness while in college 5 years ago. She is now an advocate for destigmatizing mental illness and raising awareness on this national epidemic. Medina's book Peace Be Still: Navigating My Son's Bi-Polar Disorder takes audiences along on her journey from her son's initial bi-polar diagnosis through her reflective analysis of how she parented her Black son and the societal factors that possibly played a part in his diagnosis. Medina shares the red flags that she missed along the way that parents might use as potential indicators of underlying mental health conditions. Medina's personal story is both inspirational, educational, gripping and, at times, humorous as she gives us a window into the life of a family managing through a brain based condition. Every mother, every father, every person who loves someone who may be experiencing a mental health condition needs to hear Medina's story. Peace Be Still promises to ignite a national conversation on the mental health epidemic and mental health reform.
Medina is distinguished by her unique perspective as a Black woman who has achieved success in multiple professional arenas. She was a C-Suite executive at not one, but three Fortune 100 companies. She also was the founder and president of an award-winning international business in the asset management industry. She is now pursuing her passion for real estate with her newest entrepreneurial venture, TDS Builders, a real estate development company that she co-founded with her youngest daughter.
Medina is the recipient of many awards and recognitions most notably: the Anti-Defamation League's Torch of Liberty Award for her advocacy on social justice and racial equality issues; the Urban League of Southern Connecticut's Diversity Award; the Tri-State Diversity Council's Influential Woman Award; and the Hartford Business Journal's Top Women in Business Award.
Medina earned a BA from Wesleyan University, a JD from Georgetown Law School, and an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business. Medina is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. A lifelong resident of Connecticut, Medina now calls Atlanta home.
Speech Topics
Mental Illness in the United States: The Silent Pandemic
In 2021 studies show that 1 in 9 children (age 5-16) were identified as having a probable mental health condition; Among young adults (age 18-25) 1 in 3 experienced a mental illness and 1 in 10 experienced a serious mental illness. It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults are living with a mental illness. Throughout her 5-year journey, Medina has spoken to close to 100 families dealing with a mental health crisis. Medina shares her perspectives on the mental health pandemic, its causes, and what needs to be done to better meet the needs of those most impacted.
Destigmatizing Mental Illness in the Black Community
The stigma surrounding mental illness in the Black community is a barrier to people admitting to having a mental illness and a barrier to seeking help. With this talk Medina encourages her audience to break the generational curse that is plaguing Black families. Medina gives a very raw and riveting talk about her son’s mental illness and the factors that probably led to it. She also discusses the unspoken and undiagnosed mental illnesses suffered by some of her family members and how she and her son could have been better prepared had there been open discussion about mental illness in her family. Medina encourages her audience to have open conversation, support each other, and to seek professional mental health treatment in order to curb this mental health epidemic in the Black community.
Peace Be Still – How I Navigated My Son’s Mental Health Condition
Medina shares her very personal story about her journey through the most challenging events of her and her son’s lives. She offers her perspective on the challenges of parenting young people in our current society; she demystifies mental illness and how it impacts families; she discusses the problems with the mental health system and what it will take to fix it; and she offers encouragement and community for other parents facing similar challenges with their own child.
Clinician’s Matter – A Conversation About the Importance of Dedicated Clinicians in the Mental Health Treatment Process
This talk is exclusively for mental health workers. Medina shares her experiences and interactions with mental health workers throughout her journey and explains the critical role they play in a mental health patient’s success story. Medina gives her honest perspective on what is working well and the improvements that need to be made to better support people with mental illnesses.
The Young Adult Dilemma – Getting Treatment For Your Young Adult Child When The Law Let's Them Call The Shots
Our current mental health system regards any person over 18 years of age as an adult regardless of their mental capacity. This law enables a young adult in the throes of a mental health crisis to refuse treatment even though they clearly need it and against their parents’ wishes. This dilemma adds an additional layer of complexity to caring for a mentally ill family member. Medina discusses this and other challenges pertaining to the broken mental health system, how to work around the system, and the changes that need to be made to fix it.
Let’s Talk – An Intimate Conversation With Parents That Provides Encouragement and Guidance in a Safe Atmosphere
Medina provides a safe space for parents to discuss their challenges and deepest fears. For parents dealing with a child with a mental illness and for those praying their children stay mentally healthy, Medina shares her lessons learned from raising her three children, the mistakes she made, and how to forgive ourselves because as she says, “parenting doesn’t come with a handbook”. This event is not recorded.
Let’s Talk – An Intimate Conversation with Young People About Their Mental and Emotional Health in a Safe Atmosphere
Medina provides a safe space for teens to discuss their challenges and deepest fears. Young people are suffering in silence, and many don’t have the tools to talk about what they’re feeling. Medina creates a safe space by openly sharing her personal stories and she encourages the group to do the same. Medina provides guidance as to how teens can better protect their mental health in the face of social media, cyber bullying and easy access to drugs and recognizing when and how to seek help. This event is not recorded.
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