During the summer months, the Crissy Field Center would normally be teeming with young people. While we’ve missed connecting and engaging in person during the pandemic, we’re meeting virtually and practicing wellness.
"Wellness Fridays" are an opportunity for our young people to collectively explore and practice what radical self-care means to them and their communities. While youth experience a pandemic and civil unrest, it’s imperative that we equip and support their overall wellbeing. This summer, participants used a variety of tools and practices to cultivate and build their own wellness kit. We’ve made herbal medicine, created meditative art, explored the necessity of rest, and shared helpful tips for morning and evening routines.
A special thanks to youth participants Eva and Jerome, who allowed us to share their reflections on this journey to self-care, and the collages they put together.
Here are their reflections, in their own words:
Listening to music, painting, and taking pictures. They bring me joy because I can do whatever with each of these things, I can listen to what I want, paint whatever I want, take a picture of whatever I want. I find relaxation in doing these things and I feel super in control.
Stress relief and self confidence.
What can we do about our self-care without spending money.
Phone, food, and animals. When I’m on my phone I’m able to watch things on YouTube and TikTok or listen to my music—that helps me relax. I love animals and seeing them just makes me happy. Food just makes me feel good and I'm happy when I try new ones too.
I want to work on my emotions since I tend to keep it all in. I also want to work on talking to my close friends about things and helping them, not just me putting my problems on them.
I'm very curious about learning about asking for help. I notice when I can't do something I quit or just don't do it.
