Activist Group Reflecting on 10 Years, Nearly 15,000 Miles, Decides on One More For The Road
Where do you feel you’re at your best?
Philadelphia, PA, September 17, 2024 --(PR.com)-- Where do you feel you’re at your best?
This was a simple question posed by a therapist to a reportedly reluctant Joshua “Jay” Atlas (currently residing in Philadelphia, PA).
Atlas loves his job, the Operation Manager for Bio-One Philly (since 2020), loves his friends and family, loves his hometown of Norristown, PA. He loves the opportunity to serve the community, organizing shoe & coat drives, and collects hygienic essentials & prepares meals for those in need.
All of these things should allow Atlas to feel good, but that wasn’t the question. The question posed was: "Where do you feel you’re at your best?"
An averting glance beyond the pavement suggests the answer.
Following four transnational tours: Walking from Atlantic City, NJ to Los Angeles with his brother, Shannon Sprowal (2013); bicycling Seattle, WA to Miami, FL with Sylvester Williams, Nathaniel Erb & Timothy Sammartino (2014); bicycling Moorehead, MN to San Antonio TX with Sylvester Williams, Jonathan Moore, & Gabriel Fenerty (2015); and then cycling an East Coast and partial PA tour solo (2017), Atlas settled into “a more pedestrian life” he said with a grin.
Working an assortment of industry jobs before the global pandemic shut down much of the city; in this window, he found and lost work, a relationship, and most painfully, his great grandmother.
During a TedxNorristown presentation (2018), Atlas revealed that he’d long contended with Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), still on-going.
PDD being an ongoing type of depression, with symptoms like low, dark, or sad moods. A feeling of hopelessness, irregular sleep, fatigue, low self esteem, irregular/unhealthy appetite, and/or poor concentration, sustained over (at least) two years.
“I feel better when I’m on the road. During our national treks, and when, here,” gesturing around himself, “in serving the community. That’s where I feel my best.”
Atlas continued, “We launched The Bad Activist (a registered 501(c)3, not for profit) after fortifying the identity with existing professional and personal relationships. But the foundation on which it is being built stems from years of community service, education, partnership, commitment, and a strong sense of purpose. Ending exploitation is not our only passion. And we would have to form an independent identity to do so.”
Initially speaking on human exploitation, each of the teams sought to raise funds for different organizations; the most prevalent being the End It Movement, & Worthwhile Wear, as efforts began in an attempt to bring sex & labor trafficking to the forefront.
The endeavors, both in independent and co-opted iterations, existed to bring attention to human trafficking by speaking to individuals and communities across the country.
Beginning in 2013, following a return from a conference hosted by Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and in their early 20s, the brothers chose to reach people the only way they knew how, by seeking them out.
3,400 miles, over nearly 4 months, separated the young men from home, but brought them to their purpose.
“We call it ‘active activism,’ which may seem redundant,” Atlas said, the grin returning to his face, “Having shouted in empty auditoriums, and posting daily calls to action have been ineffective, and unfulfilling, personally. I feel better when present and representing these ideals, [and] I think it makes it real for any passerby who may listen or observe.”
And “this isn’t all in our heads” as Dr Paul Arstein (Boston College) determined while studying the effects of volunteering and chronic pain.
Participants cited "making a connection" and "having a purpose" as their sources of improved physical health, reducing both pain and disability. When polled again months later, similar reports of continuously improving health were collected. Dr Arstein states, “the narrow thinking that medications are the only way to control persistent pain has resulted in a lot of unnecessary suffering.”
While assuring that it’s no panacea, and that medication certainly has its place, studies like the former support Atlas’ ongoing promotion of activism as a treatment for depression.
“What do you give a man who has nothing?” the Chairperson pitches; turning his eyes back to the busy city traffic, finishing: “Purpose.”
Altogether, Atlas and his team have covered 14,924 miles and spent 381 days on the road.
With the final tour commencing in roughly one year’s time, August 4, 2025 a new team is committing to 6,200 miles over 5 months. The team, representing The Bad Activist: Founder Jay Atlas, author Elayna Mae Darcy, and documentarian Noah Brouse have charted a course that includes familiar stops in New York, Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City, Phoenix and Los Angeles, and new opportunities in Toronto, Detroit, Memphis, Tucson, and Portland.
With high hopes, the goal and methods are the same.
The goals:
Most immediately: to educate, specifically youth/young adults, on the prevalence of depression in their communities and engage them in activism, and encourage them to begin their own projects, as a treatment for mental health while connecting individuals and local organizations.
Ongoing: to directly raise funds and provide resources (or to make more accessible) for those in need.
And the long term goal: to establish/operate a self-sustaining community building/facility in the city.
And the method:
Speaking with individuals throughout the day’s travel, instigate conversation when at rest, and engage whenever there is an inquiry on signage/jersey/etc.
Organizing events and meetings with national, local, international organizations and individuals and professionals to speak on mental and communal wellness, learning what it looks like in their area.
“We’re still looking to partner, well, benefit, a few local programs as well,” Atlas notes. “It’s made clear in our values that when we’re supported, and blessed, we share that with others. So, if anyone knows a program, or person, doing good -who may need a little extra love [...] please, let us know.”
For more information on the trio, the nonprofit, or volunteer opportunities, visit thebadactivist.org.
If you or someone you know needs support for distress, suicidal thoughts, mental health and/or substance use crisis: call, text or chat with 988 (988 Lifeline). Counselors are on standby 24/7/365, nationwide, and available in over 240 languages.
This was a simple question posed by a therapist to a reportedly reluctant Joshua “Jay” Atlas (currently residing in Philadelphia, PA).
Atlas loves his job, the Operation Manager for Bio-One Philly (since 2020), loves his friends and family, loves his hometown of Norristown, PA. He loves the opportunity to serve the community, organizing shoe & coat drives, and collects hygienic essentials & prepares meals for those in need.
All of these things should allow Atlas to feel good, but that wasn’t the question. The question posed was: "Where do you feel you’re at your best?"
An averting glance beyond the pavement suggests the answer.
Following four transnational tours: Walking from Atlantic City, NJ to Los Angeles with his brother, Shannon Sprowal (2013); bicycling Seattle, WA to Miami, FL with Sylvester Williams, Nathaniel Erb & Timothy Sammartino (2014); bicycling Moorehead, MN to San Antonio TX with Sylvester Williams, Jonathan Moore, & Gabriel Fenerty (2015); and then cycling an East Coast and partial PA tour solo (2017), Atlas settled into “a more pedestrian life” he said with a grin.
Working an assortment of industry jobs before the global pandemic shut down much of the city; in this window, he found and lost work, a relationship, and most painfully, his great grandmother.
During a TedxNorristown presentation (2018), Atlas revealed that he’d long contended with Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), still on-going.
PDD being an ongoing type of depression, with symptoms like low, dark, or sad moods. A feeling of hopelessness, irregular sleep, fatigue, low self esteem, irregular/unhealthy appetite, and/or poor concentration, sustained over (at least) two years.
“I feel better when I’m on the road. During our national treks, and when, here,” gesturing around himself, “in serving the community. That’s where I feel my best.”
Atlas continued, “We launched The Bad Activist (a registered 501(c)3, not for profit) after fortifying the identity with existing professional and personal relationships. But the foundation on which it is being built stems from years of community service, education, partnership, commitment, and a strong sense of purpose. Ending exploitation is not our only passion. And we would have to form an independent identity to do so.”
Initially speaking on human exploitation, each of the teams sought to raise funds for different organizations; the most prevalent being the End It Movement, & Worthwhile Wear, as efforts began in an attempt to bring sex & labor trafficking to the forefront.
The endeavors, both in independent and co-opted iterations, existed to bring attention to human trafficking by speaking to individuals and communities across the country.
Beginning in 2013, following a return from a conference hosted by Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and in their early 20s, the brothers chose to reach people the only way they knew how, by seeking them out.
3,400 miles, over nearly 4 months, separated the young men from home, but brought them to their purpose.
“We call it ‘active activism,’ which may seem redundant,” Atlas said, the grin returning to his face, “Having shouted in empty auditoriums, and posting daily calls to action have been ineffective, and unfulfilling, personally. I feel better when present and representing these ideals, [and] I think it makes it real for any passerby who may listen or observe.”
And “this isn’t all in our heads” as Dr Paul Arstein (Boston College) determined while studying the effects of volunteering and chronic pain.
Participants cited "making a connection" and "having a purpose" as their sources of improved physical health, reducing both pain and disability. When polled again months later, similar reports of continuously improving health were collected. Dr Arstein states, “the narrow thinking that medications are the only way to control persistent pain has resulted in a lot of unnecessary suffering.”
While assuring that it’s no panacea, and that medication certainly has its place, studies like the former support Atlas’ ongoing promotion of activism as a treatment for depression.
“What do you give a man who has nothing?” the Chairperson pitches; turning his eyes back to the busy city traffic, finishing: “Purpose.”
Altogether, Atlas and his team have covered 14,924 miles and spent 381 days on the road.
With the final tour commencing in roughly one year’s time, August 4, 2025 a new team is committing to 6,200 miles over 5 months. The team, representing The Bad Activist: Founder Jay Atlas, author Elayna Mae Darcy, and documentarian Noah Brouse have charted a course that includes familiar stops in New York, Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City, Phoenix and Los Angeles, and new opportunities in Toronto, Detroit, Memphis, Tucson, and Portland.
With high hopes, the goal and methods are the same.
The goals:
Most immediately: to educate, specifically youth/young adults, on the prevalence of depression in their communities and engage them in activism, and encourage them to begin their own projects, as a treatment for mental health while connecting individuals and local organizations.
Ongoing: to directly raise funds and provide resources (or to make more accessible) for those in need.
And the long term goal: to establish/operate a self-sustaining community building/facility in the city.
And the method:
Speaking with individuals throughout the day’s travel, instigate conversation when at rest, and engage whenever there is an inquiry on signage/jersey/etc.
Organizing events and meetings with national, local, international organizations and individuals and professionals to speak on mental and communal wellness, learning what it looks like in their area.
“We’re still looking to partner, well, benefit, a few local programs as well,” Atlas notes. “It’s made clear in our values that when we’re supported, and blessed, we share that with others. So, if anyone knows a program, or person, doing good -who may need a little extra love [...] please, let us know.”
For more information on the trio, the nonprofit, or volunteer opportunities, visit thebadactivist.org.
If you or someone you know needs support for distress, suicidal thoughts, mental health and/or substance use crisis: call, text or chat with 988 (988 Lifeline). Counselors are on standby 24/7/365, nationwide, and available in over 240 languages.
Contact
The Bad Activist
Jay Atlas
610-955-9531
thebadactivist.org
Jay Atlas
610-955-9531
thebadactivist.org
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