October Students4Good Event Recap

By Anvita Ambardekar

Spreading positivity and kindness through the digital world is becoming more important as we enter an era in which the internet has become the center of our social lives. We use it to connect with others, share exciting memories, and so much more. Yet sadly, some people also use social media as a weapon to bully others or spread negative thoughts. Nonetheless, we can strive to make our own positive impact, and that’s exactly what Nia O’Connor and Areli Rosales are doing! Driven by their personal backgrounds, these extraordinary young women are spreading awareness and providing support for mental health, as well as making sure that everyone has easy access to career resources.  

Nia O’Connor, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, is the founder of the Elevate with Nia podcast. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nia wanted to see more educational content on social media rather than entertainment. That’s when Elevate with Nia was born! Nia wanted to create a platform that would allow students easy access to social networking tools to find jobs, internships, and other employment opportunities. “Most of my peers back home [in Jamaica] did not have access to resources like career counselors,” she says. 

At university in Miami, Nia learned how helpful a counselor was, and she wanted her friends to be able to get that help as well. Nia is very passionate about helping students; this altruism is the driving force of her podcast. On her podcast episodes, Nia shares information on how students can utilize social networking to seek out appropriate employment. In her future episodes, she hopes to talk about landing internships in big technology companies and how to useTikTok for social networking purposes. Nia believes that small, consistent steps contribute to balance in the digital world, and her podcast is one of those steps.

Areli Rosales is the founder of 915MentalHealth, which she runs through her Instagram page and podcast. Her project originated in El Paso, Texas, hence the number 915—El Paso’s area code! 915MentalHealth is dedicated to mental health awareness, education, and support. Areli was inspired to start this organization because she wanted to create a safe space for those with mental health struggles. “More people go through challenges like suicidal thoughts than we think,” she says. 

After experiencing some tough times herself, she learned the importance of having support and people to lean on during challenging moments. As part of her program, Areli hosts support groups to create a safe space for members of the community to connect with others and offer support. “People tend to struggle and shy away from having conversations about sensitive topics,” she explains, “but it is important that we continue to talk about them and de-stigmatize mental health.” Through her amazing work, Areli has reached more than 1,000 people, and that number continues to grow every day.

Through both of their organizations, Nia O’Connor and Areli Rosales are making an impact in their communities. Guided by their passion to help others, they are spreading a countless amount of positivity and kindness throughout the world and using digital for good. Join our growing #Digital4Good community on social - follow us on IG, TikTok, and Twitter to stay inspired and informed when it comes to online positivity and engagement!