Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Glaze.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After graduating from college, I got married, had two daughters and worked full time.
Although I was very fulfilled from a family perspective, I had a yearning and longing for something more. One day I came home from work and there was a story on the news about the increasing numbers of HIV cases in African American women and children.
I remember thinking and telling myself, “If you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” After that day I started investigating careers where I could work with others and help them navigate the challenges of life. This led me to return to school at Kennesaw State University to pursue a Master’s degree. The Masters in Social Work degree I earned has enabled me to work in the field of Mental Health which I have been doing for over 10 years.
Over the years as a Mental Health Professional, I have worked in a variety of challenging roles. One thing that has become glaringly obvious is the lack of knowledge and awareness that the general population has for certain challenges that people have like Mental Health and Substance Abuse. This includes people who actually suffer from these conditions. What is also obvious when you look at the numbers is that most people have/will have either first-hand experience or a loved one with one of these conditions. In other words, these disorders touch everyone’s lives at some point in time.
By spreading awareness I hope to be able to give more people the opportunity to have a positive, supportive response from the very beginning. From where we work to where we play to who we love and are loved by, people seek support and reassurance from each of these aspects of their lives. I hope to be able to touch each of these perspectives to ensure that individuals are given the unconditional support they need.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The greatest struggle I am finding is that most people either don’t know or do not want to acknowledge the need to educate themselves or begin dialogues in the areas of Mental Health, Substance Abuse or HIV/STI’s. The negative connotations that have been associated with these topics over the years tend to hinder our progress in these areas.
Please tell us about JGlaze Speaks.
I develop and deliver presentations surrounding the topics of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and HIV/STI’s to audiences that want to heighten their awareness and insight into these areas of concern. It has been proven that increasing the knowledge level around these areas of concern can serve to reduce the stigma surrounding these topics that, I feel, ultimately contributes to the worsening of these conditions.
I truly believe that we are all more similar than dissimilar. More often than not, most of us are one or two situations, decisions or traumatic incidences away from being in the exact same shoes as another person. The more we are able to normalize these situations the better response and better outcomes, I believe, our communities and society as a whole will experience.
What sets you apart from others?
I believe that my willingness and ability to dive into subjects that are considered to be “taboo” and undesirable to be discussed based on societal norms is what makes what I do differently. Even though society is very “hush-hush” about these topics, current events and statistics show that we need to do more work in these areas.
Also, my presentations are educationally based only. It is not my intention to persuade others to think, act or behave in a manner that I feel is best. I don’t ever want a participant to leave one of my events feeling this way. I feel my intention is to allow each person to make an informed decision about his/her behaviors and how each participant feels it is best that their behavior be managed. I tell those individuals I work with all the time that they are in a “no judgment zone” when we interact and I truly believe that is best, especially when working with the youth.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Favorite childhood memories would have to derive from our yearly Family Reunions.
Each summer the descendants of former slaves Rhoden and Amelia Hannon gather at a different destination in the US and celebrate family, love and togetherness.
Over the years these gatherings allowed me to know the family I would have otherwise only seen in pictures. It has taught me the importance of appreciating the experiences of others even though those experiences may differ from my own. It taught me the importance of a formal education, which was always emphasized and celebrated.
And it probably ignited my love for travel! Now I am bringing my children to the Family Reunion, passing this experience to the next generation of Hannons.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 4049192951
- Email: jglazespeaks@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jglazespeaks
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jglazespeaks
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/jglazespeaks
- Other: www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-glaze-lcsw-mac-b212191a
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