My film shows a teen girl struggling with the idea of sharing how much she loves her stepmother. Instead of speaking with words, she writes what she feels. This story highlights the challenges of being honest with the ones you love, inviting the audience to reflect on their own struggles with true communication.
My piece depicts my mom and me in a sunlit living room. I drew myself as a child watching my mother work to combine all of our different cultures and lifestyles as Hispanic Americans. The sewing of flags represents this unification. I’m grateful to my parents for guiding me through life and teaching me how to live in the US while not forgetting my heritage.
This entry explores the emotional distance that can form between a parent and child during the transition into adulthood. The film reflects how young people often struggle to explain what they feel, even to the adults closest to them. It asks adults to recognize that withdrawal and distance are often signs of vulnerability, not defiance, and invites them to listen more closely to emotional cues that are easy to miss.
This is a letter that I never sent. It’s for the wish I’ve made more times than I can count – the quiet ache of wanting to be enough for someone you love deeply (especially when their love feels conditional). Sometimes our parents withhold approval to push us, but they still love us just the same.
As I grow older and experience more on my own, I realize that my hopes differ from the goals my parents have set for me. I wish that their expectations for me weren’t so rigid, because I often feel as if I lose my individuality when I try to fit into them.
Mental health issues can stick with you your whole life, even as you heal. Young people need the support of the older generations of people in their lives. Knowing you aren’t alone in your feelings, and that other people have experienced what you feel, is crucial to the process of healing. Being open is the bridge that will connect us all to each other.
Love. When this word is said, we often think of friends or family or things we enjoy. What we don’t always think about is the importance of reminding the people you care about that you love them. Everyone has their own ways to show love, but not everyone feels like they are being shown it. By showing or reminding someone you love them, you might be showing a little light to someone who feels like they are in the dark.
Lyrics:
All you really need is a little love
Give a little love
It not that hard
To show you care
Oh just give a little love
Show a little love
Dont make them feel like no one cares
Sometimes people feel like
Nobody cares and nobodys there
Sometimes people have a bad day
It’s nice to try to lighten their mood in some way
Sometimes life gets hard
And things get a little dark
Just show them some light
It can change a person’s life
All you really need is a little love
Give a little love
It not that hard
To show you care
Oh just give a little love
Show a little love
Dont make them feel like no one cares
Hurt people hurt other people
Sometimes that’s all they know how to do
Help ’em out a little bit
Show them what kindness is
Its really not that hard
To be a little nice
Theres so many ways
You can improve others lives
All you really need is a little love
Give a little love
It not that hard
To show you care
Oh just give a little love
Show a little love
Dont make them feel like no one cares
Love oh love
Sometimes all someone really needs
Is to be shown that they are loved
Love oh love
Just show them that they are loved
Give a little love
My painting centers on the emotional concept of saudade – a profound, nostalgic feeling, which is conveyed through the image of a woman lying on a lake filled with beautiful flowers. The piece captures the bittersweet transition between childhood and adulthood and the emotional depth and discovery that happens during adolescence. Although sometimes feared, these changes make us stronger. The message celebrates the magical, raw emotions of youth that adults often forget and reminds us all of the importance of dreaming, feeling, and believing. The green ribbon laced over the woman represents a feeling of happiness and relaxation that helps us continue to grow.
I chose the word “connection” because of how important socialization and connection with peers is to youth, especially those struggling with mental health issues (or even those who have struggled in the past).
To me, support is the most important part of improving your mental health. Whether it’s emotional, physical, financial, or any other form of support, it’s all someone needs. Support can come from anyone – you, your parents, family, friends, teachers, counselors, managers, or anyone. I’ve received a massive amount of support from my parents, family, and friends, and it has truly changed my mental health for the better. I want to share my support with others so that they know they aren’t alone and can be and do whatever they want.