j. nyla "ink" mcneill

j. nyla "ink" mcneill, DIY PhD, a dynamic polymath from Long Beach, California, offers focused guidance, research, writing, and robust support in community organizing and facilitation. Bridging the gap between therapeutic approaches and business coaching, they specialize in actualizing personal, professional, and collective visions with a profound focus on liberation for prioritized populations affected by systemic failures. As a researcher in psychology, ink’s work is dedicated to understanding and mitigating adverse mental health outcomes, particularly among transgender, nonbinary, two-spirit, gender non-conforming, and gender-expansive individuals. Their commitment extends to supporting youth-led research and education efforts aimed at enhancing the quality of life for BIPOC, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA2SP+ communities, embodying a practice founded on ancestral knowledge, Black feminist principles, mindfulness, collective care, and action.

Drawing from a rich background in social sciences, j. nyla challenges traditional training in their community-based praxis rooted in Community Supported Education (CSE). Their namesake practice offers a comprehensive suite of virtual and in-person alternative care services aimed at fostering rest, joy, and freedom. Guided by a constellation of mentors, educators, and fellow community organizers, dr. ink’s practice is grounded in their own net of care, allowing them to hold space for those navigating stress-related circumstances. They also support those seeking a minimalist lifestyle and/or career via intentional living.

With a versatile skill set that spans across design, research, community work, and navigating both “higher” and “deeper” education, j. nyla serves as an independent consultant, designer, and facilitating educator. Their public, self-guided, and community-witnessed PhD journey has embraced fields such as COVID-19 response and public health, ecopsychology, liberation psychology, and the arts, leading to the establishment of a private practice that reflects a deep commitment to community well-being and systemic change. Their work is energized by the creation of nuanced conceptual systems and digital tools that cater to the unique needs of individuals and communities alike.

Beyond their professional endeavors, ink’s life is a testament to their eclectic interests and talents. A nonbinary polymath of Black, Visayan, and Hispanic descent, they enjoy a simple lifestyle filled with creativity, from writing genre-crossing music and poetry to engaging in skateboarding and modeling. Their contributions to community initiatives, coupled with their roles as a life coach, artist, and researcher, underscore their dedication to fostering a healthier planet, and a safer society for neurodivergent, Black, brown, Two-Spirit, trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive populations. Through their life and work, j. nyla "ink" mcneill embodies compassionate activism, striving for a future where people in their City and beyond have access to solid care at all times. 

Their practice can be found at: jnylamcneill.com