In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Northwestern Alumni Association is highlighting alumni who share stories, helpful perspectives, and resources related to mental health and wellness. Kevin Nigarura ’16 gave a lecture on his personal struggles with mental health and the importance of taking substantial “pauses” after significant events.
Nigarura graduated from Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences in 2016 with a degree in philosophy and economics. He currently works as a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist for Justice Informed, a social impact consultancy that helps organizations “build customized, human-centered strategies that increase the positive workplace and community impact.” Their work primarily focuses on organizational strategy, policy implementation, and community engagement.
After Northwestern, Nigarura also earned the opportunity to teach history in Botswana for one year as a part of the Princeton in Africa fellowship. However, following his return to the US during the height of the 2020 pandemic, he suffered through a major episode and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In his talk, Nigarura discusses the significance of this event in his life and attributes it as the basis of his advocacy for “full stops” in life.
According to Nigarura, the “rolling stops” we experience in life (such as weekends, days off, and other short breaks) are not enough time to process major stress and trauma. Instead, “we need full stops,” he said.
“We need the ability to take care of ourselves, to process what is going on in our daily and weekly lives. Moments of transition require and deserve the appropriate time to reflect.”
Learn more about Nigarura and his story here.
Watch the Nigarura lecture below:
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