UNCP’s Donavin Hansberry Turns Personal Wake-Up Call into Mission to Improve Mental Health Literacy

Braves Going Beyond celebrates members of the UNCP community whose leadership, service and innovation are making a difference beyond our campus.

For Donavin Hansberry, a senior mass communication major at University of North Carolina Pembroke, a life-changing moment in 2024 reshaped his path.

After spending time with a close friend one evening, Hansberry didn't hear from him the next day. When he later learned the friend had experienced a serious mental health crisis and had been hospitalized, the experience left a lasting impression.

“It bothered me deeply,” Hansberry said. “I didn't think about mental health until it was right in front of me.”

Determined to help others recognize warning signs and start conversations earlier, Hansberry and longtime friend Jayden Haggler founded Shift Toward Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to improving mental health literacy, particularly among young people.

The organization, established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, focuses on providing educational resources, creative storytelling and community engagement to address “mental health deserts” — communities with limited access to resources and awareness.

“Mental health starts with a conversation,” Hansberry said.

Hansberry, originally from Northern Virginia, transferred to UNCP, where he played football before a back injury ended his playing career. Now scheduled to graduate in December with a concentration in public relations, he has redirected his competitive drive into entrepreneurship and advocacy.

In 2024, Hansberry was selected among the top 60 student entrepreneurs nationwide to represent UNCP in the Red Bull Basement competition. But the experience with his friend changed his priorities.

“We stepped back from that project and said, ‘We have to help,'” he said.

The pair immersed themselves in mental health research and began assembling a nonprofit structure, including a board of mental health professionals to review and guide all the organization's content.

One of the organization's first major projects was a children's book titled “The Big Let Go,” designed to help young readers understand fear and anxiety.

The story follows Benny the Balloon, a character who is afraid to let go and float into the sky. Through the narrative, children learn that fear is a natural emotion — but when it becomes overwhelming and prevents action, it can turn into anxiety.

The book includes discussion prompts and tools for parents, teachers and caregivers to help guide conversations about mental health.

“Our goal was to create something that families could talk about together,” Hansberry said.

In just a few months, more than 1,000 copies have been distributed, with the book now available through major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Amazon. Copies are also being used in classrooms from preschool through middle school. Proceeds support the nonprofit's initiatives, including donating books to schools and supporting educational programming.

Shift Toward Hope has quickly grown beyond a single project. The nonprofit now operates through three primary initiatives: media production, community development and college chapters. The organization has begun launching student chapters on college campuses, with active chapters already operating at the University of South Florida and the University of California, San Diego. More than 50 college chapters plan to launch nationwide and internationally in 2027. The pair also pursuing government contracts and grants to continue expanding the reach and impact of their initiatives.

Hansberry hopes the nonprofit will bring more resources to southeastern North Carolina.

“I'm very passionate about helping Pembroke and Robeson County address the mental health shortage,” he said. “We want to partner with local organizations and businesses to help make a difference here.”

Hansberry credits his studies in mass communication with helping him think through how to effectively raise awareness of mental health.

“Being a mass comm major, we're always thinking about how to reach people on a larger scale,” he said. “That mindset helped shape how we share these ideas with the public.”

Faculty members say Hansberry's determination and empathy stand out.

“Donavin is very self-reliant, self-motivated and ambitious,” said Dr. Jamie Litty, professor of mass communication. “But what stands out most is his empathy. He genuinely wants to help children and families understand mental health.”

Litty said Hansberry frequently sought advice and carefully worked through complex ideas as he developed his projects.

“I believe in what he is doing,” she said. “He has found a home in our department.”

For Hansberry, success is measured not by personal recognition but by the impact the organization can make.

“At this stage in my life, success means having the opportunity to help more people,” Hansberry said. “Something positive came out of a very difficult moment. We want to make sure no one feels like their only option is left to chance.”