Video Description: Jon Alexander has always had an interest in the visual arts. In 2011, Alexander injured his knee, leaving him with a lot of free time and a lot of creative energy, which lead to his passion for filmmaking. Alexander currently has numerous films under his belt, most notably CYCLE and Enough. “CYCLE is about a young man from the inner city who witnesses something traumatic and it’s kind of life altering for him,” Alexander said. “So, he’s put on this path to try to steer away from those cycles like violence and drugs. It was really a story to de-stigmatize therapy and mental illness.” Alexander wrote, directed, and edited CYCLE. “It dives deeper than just mental health as a whole, specifically mental health with black men,” Alexander said. “It gives people a safe space. It let’s people sitting in the room look around and realize ‘I’m not the only one going through this.’” In Enough, where Alexander is the lead character, writer, director, and videographer, a man comes to terms with his emotionally and mentally abusive behavior. “You can only go so far if you’re not okay on the inside – okay emotionally and mentally,” Alexander said. “It can be a burden. It can weigh down on you. So, I want people to be the best person they can be, and the only way you can be that is if you’re okay with yourself.”

• For Discussion: Use the video as part of a discussion on mental health issues and ways to help others.
• Activity Idea: Use the video in a cross-curricular activity in focused on mental and physical wellness with students creating a video as part of their project.
• Activity Idea: Use the video as a source of inspiration for dramatic videos created by your students.