Mya Canty.

About Mya.

Mya Canty is co-founder of The Noire Series, Program Manager at NAMI St. Louis, and the 2026 Community Mental Health Provider Awardee.

Mya is a proud St. Louis native, community builder, and mental health advocate dedicated to empowering young people. As a desegregation program student, those experiences helped shape her lifelong commitment to serving youth and communities.

After earning her Bachelor of Arts in History from Culver-Stockton College, with an emphasis in African American History and Women’s Studies, her involvement in the Ferguson Uprising became a defining moment that inspired her to fully pursue serving in education and youth development. She has since expanded her impact, serving Black and Brown students and families in the Bay Area of California through college advising, teaching, and leading affinity groups for Black students in partnership with several high schools & nonprofits.

At NAMI St. Louis, Mya leads the Ending the Silence Program, reaching students across seven counties with critical education on mental health awareness, warning signs, and pathways to support. Through this work, she has helped shift perceptions and empower young people to seek help for themselves and others.

She also leads the Sharing Hope Initiative, fostering culturally grounded conversations about mental wellness within the Black/African American community through storytelling and guided dialogue. In this role, she spearheaded the inaugural Pathways to Hope conference in partnership with Harris-Stowe State University, expanding access to mental health resources and strengthening community engagement.

As co-founder and curriculum developer of The Noire Series, Mya creates dynamic learning experiences that empower youth to explore and celebrate Black identity, history, and culture.

In the words of the nominator.

“Across all [of Mya’s] initiatives, inclusivity is operationalized through representation, listening, adaptation, and shared ownership. Mya’s work is not only delivered in the community—it is shaped by the community, resulting in programs that are trusted, relevant, and responsive to evolving needs in the St. Louis region.”