Visualizing Teen Mental Health: Oakland College students Highgentle Caregivers Through Photography

These college students had been collaborating in a pilot workshop collection centered on visible storytelling and youth psychological well being, organized by nonprofit media group CatchLight’s Mental Health Visual Desk and Oakland-based youth media group Youthbeat.

It was facilitated by visible journalists and editors from CatchLight and KQED, together with myself, Florence Middleton, Ximena Natera, Martin do Nascimento and Jenny Stratton.

In 2021 and 2025, organizations just like the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry declared a nationwide emergency for kids’s psychological well being in America, amid rising psychological health-related hospital visits and suicide makes an attempt. Gen Zers, these born between 1997 and 2012, are additionally 80% more like­ly to report deal­ing with anx­i­ety or depres­sion com­pared to previous­er gen­er­a­tions.

The workshop aimed to offer teenagers area to course of a few of these realities and contribute their very own experiences to this narrative.

This cohort of excessive schoolers centered on psychological well being and caregiving. Each pupil selected a caregiver — a dad or mum, trainer, pal, sibling, accomplice — whose care and infrequently unseen labor quietly sustains them and shapes their well-being.

Over a three-month interval, college students developed photograph essays documenting the impacts of that caregiving of their lives.

They pushed themselves to be susceptible. And they discovered to {photograph} summary ideas round psychological well-being. Individually, every photograph essay tells a deeply private story. Collectively, they reply the query: In a time of disaster for younger individuals’s psychological well being, whose arms maintain them up?

Evelyn Sanchez De Leon

My identify is Evelyn Sanchez De Leon. I’m a pupil at Oakland High School, and I take pleasure in music, artwork and nature. I’m probably the most expressive round my family members.

My caregiver is my greatest pal, Sharon.

I’ve been properly conscious of my psychological well being as early because the age of seven. I spent a few years determining who I’m, what I’m, and what I will likely be, alongside determining methods to unwire the knots in my head which have been attributable to my day-to-day life, making me really feel misplaced and confused up till sixth grade, after I met Sharon.

She’s been my experience or die for the reason that day we met, and really has proven me that there’s real good inside individuals for the previous six years. She’s helped me all through my roughest intervals in life, through which, at some factors, I genuinely thought I wouldn’t search a approach out. She was there after I felt like I had no one. She was there with me it doesn’t matter what. She’s been there at my lowest, however has all the time helped me attain the best ranges in life every time I believed I wasn’t succesful and made me consider in myself in some ways.

I’ve nothing however pure love and admiration for her. I’m ceaselessly going to be glad about all the pieces she has finished for me, helped me overcome and nonetheless is doing for my well-being. I attempted to seize that in these photos.

Adonis Paul Anthony

Hey, my identify is Adonis Paul Anthony. I’m a senior at Coliseum College Prep Academy (CCPA) in Oakland. I like enjoying video video games, listening to music, exploring locations, taking photographs/movies and spending time with household and mates.

For this undertaking, I selected my father as my caregiver. He’s had a huge impact on my life — serving to me work out what I wish to do and all the time being there after I want somebody to speak to or after I’m feeling any kind of approach.

I feel many households typically overlook psychological well being for Oakland youth, though many are coping with stress and strain. Some households don’t prioritize psychological well being, which makes youth really feel strain to reach life, together with not all the time having area to brazenly speak about psychological well being. In addition, the setting round me impacts me, and violence and wrestle have an effect on my neighborhood.

My father is generally working and never all the time house; nevertheless, when my father is house, I’ve loads of my very own private time to myself. When worrying about faculty, different issues on my thoughts, and my future, primarily, I begin to really feel extraordinarily overwhelmed. Due to this, I attempt to not suppose an excessive amount of about it and solely attempt to fear about what’s taking place within the second. I additionally attempt doing issues that I take pleasure in, like hanging out with mates or my girlfriend, enjoying video video games or going out and taking photographs. But when I’m not in a position to do any of these issues, I’m able to speak to my father.

I’ve confronted challenges with my psychological well being many occasions, and having him as a supportive caregiver has performed an enormous position in serving to me keep grounded and transfer ahead. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, my father is often in a position to inform and asks me how I’m doing and checks on me to ensure I’m okay. He can also be in a position to give me any recommendation that I would like and helps me in no matter I wish to do for my future. In reality, when I’m feeling the all-time low of something, I’m able to speak to him. Not solely is he somebody I can speak to about my psychological well being, he additionally takes care of me by conserving meals in my mouth and a roof over my head. He will do something on this planet to help me.

Ultimately, for this photograph essay, I needed to indicate how the help and belief that my caregiver provides me has allowed me to have loads of freedom.

Nhien Tang

My identify is Nhien Tang. I’m a junior at Oakland High School. I’m a first-generation pupil who likes music, artwork, studying and spending time with family and friends.

I selected my boyfriend as my caregiver. During the time we’ve been collectively, I’ve felt like I’ve improved myself as an individual. He has all the time supported me and makes certain that I keep wholesome as a result of I don’t actually eat loads of nutritious meals in any other case.

I began to note my psychological well being much more throughout center faculty. During that point, I used to be rising up and turning into extra conscious of issues round me. My household was all the time busy, so I didn’t have any emotional help. So I relied on myself and the web throughout my complete childhood. I’ve handled my struggles on my own, usually isolating myself from everybody every time I’m careworn. At occasions, I couldn’t correctly care for myself, together with consuming, showering or simply getting off the bed. I managed to heal a bit on my own, but I nonetheless have these intervals of wrestle.

That was till my boyfriend got here into my life. He confirmed me methods to depend on somebody and methods to open up. He taught me that being susceptible just isn’t weak, however a powerful trait. He supported me in some ways — cooking me meals, serving to me with schoolwork, washing my hair and a lot extra. Because of his actions, I’ve all the time felt comfy in his presence.

In this photograph essay, I wish to present how my love has supported me on my therapeutic journey.

Zay Austin

My identify is Zay Austin, and I’m a junior at Oakland High School. All these photos characterize me and my psychological well being as a result of most of my life was form of arduous. But after I received to this faculty and met all these individuals and made new mates, I had a way of goal. I ended up discovering a brand new self, made all these mates freshman 12 months and I met my caregivers in my sophomore 12 months.

The caregivers I selected are my examine expertise trainer, named Ortiz — as a result of she was one of many individuals who helped me get a passing grade on my assignments — and my mates and my girlfriend. They all stored me on monitor and made me comfortable in life, particularly after I met my girlfriend. We met my freshman 12 months (her sophomore 12 months), however I’m older than her by two days.

We began relationship this 12 months (my junior 12 months), and we’re comfortable to be collectively. She makes certain I all the time go to class and stops being distracted by attempting to ensure I’ve my work finished. She additionally listens to my issues, and I do the identical for her when she wants to speak about her day or when she is down. Looking at all of it now, assembly these those who I took photos of modified me so much.

Diego Sanchez Morfin

My identify is Diego Sanchez Morfin. I’m a senior at Madison Park Academy in Oakland. I’m my mother and father’ second-youngest son, and I’m somebody who enjoys spending time with household and mates and watching motion pictures.

For this undertaking, I selected my mom as my caregiver as a result of she has all the time been there for me. She is the rationale I’m the way in which I’m, and her affect has taught me a lot.

Issues that affect my psychological well being revolve across the present state of our nation. Countless immigrants who’re attempting to make ends meet are being handled horribly. Seeing this taking place all around the globe whereas coming from an immigrant household will be overwhelming. But my mom all the time helps me.

My psychological well being has had its roses and thorns, however every time I’m experiencing a thorn, my mom’s kindness turns it right into a rose.

Through my photograph essay, I wish to present my mom’s magnificence and the affect she has had on my life. Her kindness has taught me a lot and has formed me into who I’m now.

Korey Gibson

Hello, my identify is Korey Gibson. I’m a sophomore at Oakland Tech in Oakland. I’m a pupil and a youthful brother. Some issues I love to do are draw, hang around with mates, go on hikes, take photographs and take heed to music.

For this undertaking, I selected my mom as my caregiver as a result of she has all the time taken care of me and supported me. She could be very charismatic, genuine and simply an total form, wonderful particular person. Throughout my struggles with my psychological well being, she has all the time supported me and been a shoulder for me to lean on.

I’m glad that I’ve gotten the help I wanted. Having my mom to speak to has helped me a lot with my psychological well being. Through this photograph essay, I needed to indicate how I really feel and the way my mother handles her psychological well being. I attempted to seize photographs that present even the little issues that can provide which means in on a regular basis life.

This undertaking was produced collectively by KQED, YouthBeat and the CatchLight mental health visual desk initiative.