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Help Elijah Bring “Mendful Mind” to Life at USC!!
Hello! My name is Elijah Ricaforte, and I am a visual designer and digital marketer based in Los Angeles, California. I was recently accepted into the University of Southern California’s M.S. in Digital Social Media program, and I am reaching out to my community for support as I take this next step in my education and purpose-driven career.
Why I am Pursuing This Degree
Growing up in an economically disadvantaged environment, I watched my parents—my father, a first-generation American, and my mother, a first-generation college graduate—work tirelessly to provide for us. But even with their efforts, we often lacked resources. On top of this, navigating mental health challenges and rejection due to my identity made things even more challenging at times. During some of my lowest moments, digital mental health tools became my lifeline. They were often the only mental health and wellness resources I had access to. These moments shaped my mission: to make digital wellness resources more accessible to underserved communities like the one I grew up in.
Over the past few years, I have pursued that mission by working with nonprofit organizations like TurnUp Activism, where I helped build impactful digital campaigns that earned organizational recognition — including an Impact Award and a Spotlight Award for my work in nonprofit communications and visual design. Now, I want to take that work to the next level. As a graduate student here at USC, I plan to build and launch a mobile platform called Mendful Mind, a centralized app for mental wellness, education, and habit-tracking, designed specifically for those who are unable to afford or access traditional care. I have already developed the early-stage UX prototype, and I hope to develop it further through USC’s Final Project Capstone course, with mentorship from world-renown faculty who I believe can help me bring this project to life.
Why I am Asking for Help
I have worked multiple jobs throughout undergrad, at times even 50+ hours a week, just to help support myself and my family. Even now, I’m balancing work with school while covering rent, food, and essentials.
Although I received some scholarship support, graduate education here in Los Angeles is expensive, and I do not always have familial resources to fall back on. This USC program has always been my dream, and it directly aligns with my goals- but to enroll and focus on my work, I need help covering tuition, supplies, and living costs.
What This Fund Will Support
- Tuition and university fees that not covered by aid
- Software and tech needed to develop Mendful Mind and other various mental health initiatives throughout my program.
- Transportation and cost-of-living in Los Angeles
- Mental wellness support as I balance full-time grad school with ongoing mental health challenges.
This Journey Isn’t Just Mine
This degree is not just for me. It’s for:
- My younger self, who needed help and had nowhere to turn.
- My community- especially queer youth and students of color- who deserve tools for healing, growth, and stability.
- All the under-resourced creatives and changemakers who dream of building something impactful.
If you have ever believed in the power of resilience, creativity, and digital tools to change lives, I hope that you will consider supporting this next chapter of mine.
Whether you donate $5, $50, or simply share this campaign, I am so deeply grateful for your support and belief in what I’m building.
With much love and gratitude,
Elijah Ricaforte
Portfolio: elijahricaforte.myportfolio.com
Incoming M.S. Digital Social Media student, USC Annenberg
My LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elijah-ricaforte