As far back as I can remember, stories have been an essential part of my life. Ever since pre-school, I’ve been a voracious reader and I can distinctly recall carrying around battered copies of Geronimo Stilton and Magic Tree House novels wherever I went. As I became older, I listened to my family’s stories. I learned how my grandparents acclimated to living in rural Illinois after immigrating from India and how my mom worked hard to build a life for herself after coming to the United States. Their stories empower me and shape how I view both the world and myself.
When I witnessed how mental health struggles impacted those around me and felt the deep isolation and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, this interest in stories led to an idea. I created Mind Matters Magazine, a platform for teens to share their own mental health journeys and express themselves through art and writing. In addition to publishing teen stories, we present speeches at hospitals, classrooms, and symposiums around the world and conduct interviews with those working to change the way we view mental health. Previous interviewees include UC Irvine Professor Dr. Shahrdad Lotfipour, who runs a lab investigating addiction in adolescents and Sami Syed, a student at Chapman University who conducted surveys of college surf teams to investigate the wellness benefits of surfing. You can check out more of our work at mindmattersmag.com or @_mindmatters_mag.
Most recently, Mind Matters launched a STEM and wellness outreach initiative, partnering with three local elementary schools to bring mental health education to underserved communities. Each week, we lead interactive after-school sessions that combine science and social-emotional learning. Students explore healthy habits (like sleep hygiene, nutrition, and communication) through group activities, creative projects, and even hands-on experiments like brain dissections.
Too often, those struggling with mental health are told, “It’s all in your head.” Through our outreach, we help students understand that mental health is in the head, but not in the way people imply. It involves real, complex chemical and neurological processes and is just as important as physical health.
By blending science and storytelling, we hope to show young people that their voices and minds matter.
