Charlie is a 3rd-year student at the University of Virginia pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Political and Social Thought. Within his major, he is researching and preparing a comprehensive thesis that focuses on the roots of America’s mental health crisis and how it influences the formation of adjacent policy issues such as political polarization, domestic violence, and educational inequity. Growing up in Richmond, an area with extreme income and wealth disparity, Charlie quickly came to understand that the mental health crisis was a function of these disparities. He saw that issues like food insecurity, unstable housing, and a lack of economic opportunity were not only financial strains, but also placed intense stress on the mind. Further, as he began to realize that the mental health crisis was a result of poor socio-economic policy, he recognized that the crisis additionally creates issues of its own, placing mental health at the crux of both America’s policy problems and solutions. Outside of his academic pursuits, Charlie spends his weekends playing guitar with his band “Maurice” and enjoys playing soccer with friends.
