Our indigenous Latino youth wanted an opportunity to express how they feel about their struggle in school. Being first-generations students means that their parents often don’t know the hurdles their children have to overcome to be successful.
It is important for our parents to know what we are going through. We have different experiences from them, and they can’t always relate. This can affect our mental health and our relationship with them. We want to bring more awareness to this struggle that students have with their parents.
Sometimes it is hard for my parents to understand me and for me to open up to them. Working with my team helped me to feel better knowing that my friends go through similar things. We want our parents to understand how important mental health is to us.
I want to help bring awareness to the fact that students are going through a lot more than their parents might realize.
My short video portrays the complex relationship I have with my parents as a transgender teenager. The end poem is a direct call out to the fact that my parents fully know that I’m trans, yet every time it is brought up in a conversation, they act as if it’s their first time hearing it. The film is an invitation to a party that I’ve planned for too long – one that only my parents are invited to.
You never know what someone is going through until they tell you, so this film/podcast gave me an opportunity to become closer with teammates, advisors, and friends – they trusted me enough to share their mental health, and I’m hoping other teens will want to share their mental health after watching this.
As a teen, sometimes it’s hard to be heard. This was a perfect opportunity to get the voices of teens who are often ignored out there.
Teens need mental health support so they won’t feel alone
As I’m growing up and becoming more independent, I’ve struggled with being overwhelmed by school, my commitments, and my busy schedule. I know my parents want to help me but don’t always know how. I want them to know that, because of all the things they have taught me and the values they have instilled in me, I don’t necessarily need them to do things for me, hold my hand through everything, and physically fix my problems for me. However, sometimes what would help me the most is for them to listen and understand. Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed, I just want them to let me know that I’m on the right path and that they are proud of me.
With this PSA we wanted to reach out to adults and guardians in order to raise awareness towards the issues teens face. The PSA covers how teens experience and express anxiety and stress. Parents sometimes do not realize when their child is dealing with something despite the signs they may show.