Minneapolis native Jocelyn McQuirter leads behavioral health initiatives in Hennepin County’s Human Services department. KNOCK’s recent collaboration with McQuirter and her team highlights the power of human connection and the positive role it can play in removing stigmas, building awareness, and cultivating compassion around mental health.
Your Story: Tell us about your journey with Hennepin County and the community.
By nature, I’m an includer and connector—magnifying humanity is central to my purpose.
Prior to Hennepin County, my work was centered around marketing and education, with an emphasis on youth development. I’ve bridged much of my background to my current role in Behavioral Health while integrating and building capacity for stronger relations with our diverse communities across child and adult programming and services.
Your Inspiration: Who inspires you to keep moving forward?
There are many who inspire me. My son continues to expand my imagination and ability to be a better human. He points out the beauty in the mundane and loves to tell a good story. His curiosity, humor, and caring spirit give me so much energy to enjoy life and seize the day.
Another person who inspires me is my late cousin, Jasmine. We grew up together, and it hit hard when she passed away last year from breast cancer. Even on her hardest days, she woke up and chose life. That’s the kind of person I do my best to wake up and be — someone who sees the goodness of life every day.
Your Purpose: What makes your work and the See Mental Health campaign meaningful to you?
I’ve been on my own mental health journey through the years. Tools along the way have helped me increase my ability to manage stress, boost my mood, and remind me of my talents and purpose.
I was raised with the mindset that knowledge is power, and with this awareness campaign, I’ve been tasked to help illuminate the importance of conversations and human connections. In the communities where I’ve lived and been involved, I’ve seen what happens when people lose faith and hope. The See Mental Health campaign is meaningful because it has the power to shift lives. It matters that people know they aren’t alone and that there are healthy ways to cope.
This awareness campaign has been soul-fulfilling. I’ve had the chance to connect with so many advocates and people, making a difference in the community. Working with a diverse group of community members for the video shoot was also heartwarming. KNOCK successfully captured their stories and gentle reminders from their inspiring journeys. They created a sense that it’s okay not to be okay and that there are ways we can cope with life’s challenges. This campaign cultivated more than we could have ever imagined.
Your Motivation: Within the work you do and the experiences you’re cultivating through the See Mental Health campaign, what matters to you most?
What mattered was a campaign designed by and for the community. We centered diverse input and perspectives through community focus groups, culturally specific providers’ engagement, and community events.
I’ve learned a great deal about how people will embrace mental health when we expand the lens beyond Western medical models of care. More holistic definitions of mental health include a spectrum of wellness and deep context across an array of cultural and ethnic groups.
It matters to me that someone might find a way to move forward. Maybe this campaign offered something that helped them feel more connected or showed them that taking care is within reach. I hope people can see themselves, be reminded of their value and purpose, and focus less on their shortcomings.
Your Goal: What’s next?
The campaign wraps up with a series of community engagement events. It’s hard to believe that we’re entering our final months already. I take a lot of satisfaction from our success and impact.
I’ll continue to work on integrating community voice within the Behavioral Health service area. Through strategic planning, communications, and community engagement and programming, we hope to progress in our work to meet the needs of our diverse communities.
Your Connection: How did you cross paths with KNOCK?
I’ve known about KNOCK for eight years or so since I worked at The BrandLab as an intern supervisor. I’d bring interns to the office for agency tours, which were inspiring for many of them. In 2020, KNOCK worked with Hennepin County as the creative partner for Communications’ COVID-19 Take Care campaign. I crossed paths with KNOCK again a little over a year ago when we started to work on the See Mental Health campaign.
Final Thoughts
McQuirter’s empathy and passion for uplifting the community made our collaboration a great success, and we’re grateful for her thoughtful partnership. Learn more about this important initiative and hear the positive messages of hope and joy shared through community voices on seementalhealth.com.