VIDEO: The Hill We Climb

Last night our teen Mental Health Ambassadors watched again and were moved by the inaugural poem “The Hill We Climb” by the 22-year-old National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. At this moment in history, we see “light in this never-ending shade.” There is hope amidst the sometimes overwhelming work still to be done. 

In this context, our young people discussed the overlap and the gaps between the realms of politics, justice, and mental health. As we work to create just systems, young people understand that one’s own mental well-being is vital. History, media-bias, and the sheer weight of our national and global story can impact our mental and emotional state. Even as we advocate, hope for, and believe in change. 

The lack of available mental health resources is an injustice itself. There are too many traumas that our community faces rooted in existing inequities, often due to race. The Mental Health Ambassadors resonated with the call to “put down our arms and reach out arms,” summizing that the mental well-being of humanity, fostered by authentic listening and love, is at the core of all healing and the rebuilding that is ahead of us.