Mental Health

  • Blooming in the Face of Adversity

    May 31, 2023 /

    Hi, my name is Carlos. I am 18 years old and I grew up in Merced, California. In my experience, Merced has been a hard place to grow up. My family life has been filled with struggle because of my parent’s drug addictions and, as a result, from the time I was 4 until I was 13, I moved in and out of foster care.  Read More

  • Mido Vince’s Book Review of Skylar Kergil’s Before I Had the Words on: Being a Transgender Young Adult

    April 25, 2023 /

    Skylar Kergil’s Before I Had the Words on: Being a Transgender Young Adult was a book that my inner child had their eyes on for some time. At first, it was difficult for me to read simply due to deeply resonating with the author’s narrative. Read More

  • Navigating Polyamorous Relationships

    March 20, 2023 /

    When I hear people talk about polyamorous relationships, I hear a lot about “rules”. Oftentimes people will discuss the types of rules you should have in a polyamorous relationship, what is and isn’t allowed. In my opinion, this is a simplified way to talk about boundaries. Read More

  • Me vs Roanoke

    December 19, 2022 /

    Youth reporter Malachi Sanchez reflects on his experiences between community and the lack of in Merced and in his new home of Roanoke, Virginia.

  • An Untitled Collection

    October 28, 2022 /

    Youth reporter Xeffrei Champion shares a collection of poems for National Suicide Prevention Month.

  • My Hometown vs Me

    August 15, 2022 /

    Malachi Sanchez tells his story about being a queer person disconnected to his hometown.