Jonathan Hardwick

University of Colorado Denver - 2027

Criminal justice reform, education opportunities.

Major: Music – Recording Arts Emphasis

Minor: Music Industry Studies

Project: My project is centered around psychology and helping incarcerated individuals with self-care and mental health. I plan to introduce Mutual Aid Self/Social Therapy, or MAST, to prison populations. MAST is essentially group therapy without having to pay for a therapist, rather you utilize friends and colleagues. It utilizes methods from psychology such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which explores the intricate relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. MAST was originally developed by social activists as a way for oppressed people to practice self-care and improve mental health. I am developing a training to show to willing participants, and I plan to be the proctor for these MAST sessions for incarcerated individuals.

Inspiration: There are numerous racial disparities in the criminal justice and mental health systems. I hope that MAST will provide a way around these systems and improve incarcerated individuals’ mental health. As a former psychology major and as someone with multiple mental health diagnoses, I know just how helpful learning more about one’s mind can be. I believe that MAST will provide incarcerated people with helpful tools to use during incarceration and reentry alike.

Future Goals: I plan to be a mental health advocate and help break the stigma around mental health in all that I do. Even with my music major, I plan to be a producer and provide artists with a platform to share their stories while promoting their well-being. As for my project, I plan to continue working until MAST is implemented as an integral part of rehabilitation and incarceration.