By Suveer Sabharwal
The Red Ribbon Ceremony is a powerful annual event where Youth Bureau programs, local leaders, and our mayor come together to address mental health challenges and substance abuse facing today’s youth and explore ways to prevent them. This year, in a significant moment, the event was broadcast live, showcasing the urgency and importance of supporting mental well-being in our community.
During the ceremony, representatives from Youth Court took the stage to speak candidly about the pressing mental health issues young people face, including substance abuse, the pressures of social media, anxiety, and stress. Youth Court is a program in which youth take on the role of court room prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges and recommend community service and counseling sessions to youth in their community who have committed one-time misdemeanors. Its representatives also shared their personal stories, highlighting the struggles within their own families and the resilience required to overcome them.
"I know people with depression and anxiety just because they have become so reliant on these substances and it's affecting their academics and everything," Olivia Amador said.
The event’s guiding theme, “You film your own film,” served as a reminder that our choices shape who we become and how we’re perceived. It encourages us to make intentional decisions and stay true to ourselves rather than succumbing to mental health struggles in silence. The ceremony emphasized that reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.
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