Hello! My name is Joshua Valentine, I am a Junior pursuing my Bachelors of Social Work here at Mason and currently serve as my cohort’s student representative to the BSW Program Committee. My pronouns are he/they. I was born and raised in Virginia Beach and grew up doing therapeutic work in our local autism community, teaching a surf & swim program modified for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since getting to school my research has taken a focus on gentrification, community displacement, and issues of accessibility for mental health services in low-income communities. I serve on the Community Outreach and Internal Engagement subcommittees, planning events and workshops for our mentees. It has been a joy working with BMSI and I am grateful for the opportunity to build a healthy network of support for other Black male students at GMU.