jrowe

Your Own Stories

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I have a friend who is always upbeat and radiates positivity; she is a person who makes everyone around her feel good. She not only supports and consoles me but also those friends around her when they are unhappy; in my eyes, she is a mental health hero who will always be there to encourage and listening to everyone. But one day I recognized that my friend, the sweet girl who was always smiling and happy, was not as strong and positive as she appeared to me and other friends. I eventually realized that her wonderful attributes and cheery demeanor were all masks she had made to disguise the darkness inside of her. My friend is currently suffering from depression and is undergoing psychological treatment. Now, her condition has improved, and she is beginning to open up more in sharing her struggles with friends and me.

The Hero in You

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This piece is a poem that shows how a person’s negative feelings only dig them deeper. but I also wanted to show that our confidence and our positivity lifts us even higher. I wanted to show everyone that we are our own heroes, even when we don’t feel like it.

A Friend in a Brother

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I love my older brother. He is so kind, and he has helped me through so many struggles.

Words of Hope

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I wanted to create an artistic portrayal of how words can empower people and encourage them to persevere through difficult circumstances. People say that actions matter than words, but I think that words should not be underestimated in how powerful they can be. When I was creating this artwork, I wanted to juxtapose sadness and relief to tell this person’s story: unhappy at first, but as they glance at the phone lying beside them and see the messages they are receiving, they feel relief knowing that there are people that are concerned for them and that are willing to listen to their troubles. I feel that everyone going through tough times deserves to receive those messages. Whether it’s just “Are you okay?” or “Do you want to talk about it?” all of it matters. Those kinds of messages can fill people with the hope they need to persevere through their situation.

My Voice

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My hero is my voice. It’s powerful, supported me through everything. With my voice I was able to influence good for everyone who surrounded me. Your true authentic voice demands to be heard, and once you unleash it, things will never be as they were before.

Dreamfall

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This piece represents my mental health hero in multiple ways. Within my piece I wanted to show the feeling of being alone without the realization of someone waiting to catch you. At the top of the page my character has to wake up to the struggles of reality. As my character falls she becomes intertwined with the words of others, but as she continues to dive downward, patiently awaiting below is the warm hands of my mom. The increase of clothing represents the growing comfort and safety I feel when I’m with my mom. The artwork I’ve created is both original and personal. I hope you also find this piece to be relatable to your everyday life.

Save Yourself

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I decided to write about this entry because I think it’s important to have plenty of awareness towards mental health. I found it a bit easy to write about this since my community brings a lot of awareness to mental health and tries to help us with it by providing resources for us. I tried to convey a message that could inspire others if they’re ever in a poor mental state, and to let them know that even though they might be struggling, they can still be their own hero even in the darkest of their times.

La Mia Famiglia

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I wanted to depict a happy family because the minute you are born and brought into this world, the people that will always be there for you no matter what is your parents. For me, family means the world. I come from an Italian background, and with that come people who are always there willing to love, help, and support me. My family always wants me to reach for the stars. They told me that I can achieve anything in life and that they will always be by my side.

My Mom is…

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My entry is a drawing of my mom made up of words describing her. She has always been someone who I can look up to and who cares for me no matter what I do. She is an incredible figure in my life who I try to model myself after. In short, my hero. I would tell more about her, but you only need to look at my drawing to see what kind of person she is. She is so supportive and has always given me confidence when I doubted myself. I will always be grateful to her.

Support Puzzle

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The mental health heroes I decided to portray are my friends. Individually, we all have our struggles and mental blocks; together, we can fill in each other’s gaps of mental vulnerability. If one friend is going through something, the rest of us will help support them however we can. Not everyone has the same problems, which is why we are like a puzzle. Each of us brings a piece to the table, whether that be experience, advice, or even just emotional support. The format I made the piece was akin to a video call because the group of friends I drew is people I got much closer to during a time when we were supposed to be further than ever. Quarantine. Growing up comes with many struggles, many of them mental, but my friend group will always support each other through it all.