Students gathered at the youth-led fair in San Mateo to promote mental health awareness and foster unity and empowerment on Sunday morning. The event featured workshops, peer-led programs, and activities that made students feel welcome and seen.
Sophomore Lauren Molnar appreciated the inviting environment. “For me, this event really brought everyone there together. I felt really safe and relaxed, and surrounded by like-minded people,” Molnar said. “I feel really secure here, and I believe everyone else here does too.” By promoting mental health resources, SafeSpace encouraged students to be more open and connected.
Sophomore Asher De Guzman discussed how this event encouraged her to be more vulnerable. “It’s not always easy to be open, especially with other people, because you don’t know what will happen,” she said. “I feel like this event was really the push I needed to open up more, which relieved so much tension that I didn’t even realize was there.”
The fair provided interactive education through Promoting Our Wellness and Empowering Resilience (POWER), encouraging the concept of a close-knit community to the youth who attended. The fair provided interactive education through Promoting Our Wellness and Empowering Resilience (POWER), encouraging the youth who attended to build close-knit communities wherever they go, along with showcasing their own short films and presentations exhibiting the mental health experiences of fellow students, and how to cope through communication and a positive mindset.
Sophomore Siomara Orozco-Martinez commented on the sense of empowerment that this event brought to her. “Mental health is such a vital topic, yet I feel that in so many ways, it’s not discussed enough because people simply don’t know how to, since they are afraid,” she said. “I think the educational aspect of this really solidified the importance of openness, and simply feeling strong enough to come forward and have that will to be open, because it truly is that significant.”
Overall, the fair created a sense of belonging and resilience for many, emphasizing the importance of mental health. The event encouraged teens to be more vulnerable and promoted a unified community for many.
