Alex Swift

I am Alexandra (Alex) Swift, a 21-year-old, self-proclaimed gypsy from Darien, CT. I recently graduated from the University of Richmond, where I completed a double major in Mathematical Economics and Leadership Studies, and I am currently employed as a Sales Development Rep. at Namely in New York. As a college student during the COVID-19 pandemic, I watched firsthand as mental health became a predominating factor of the college culture, and so I came to understand the extent to which mental illness impacts young people. I also think that mental health resources are often underfunded, and even stigmatized, as growing up in white suburbia had previously left me with the impression that asking for help with anxiety or depression made you weak. During my junior year of college, I found that road running was an easy way to clear my mind of anxious thoughts; it is a passion that got me through the COVID-19 college years, in addition to a formal diagnosis of ADHD. I chose to run with NAMI-NYC in hopes of helping young people speak out about their troubles, and to get them access to the mental health resources they need to strive as human beings.