This story was originally published on Boyle Heights Beat on July 11, 2024.
Emma Oseguerra, a student at Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School, saw her classmates' stress, anxiety and depression increase at the beginning of the pandemic.
In fall 2020, she and some fellow students came together to form a group to address mental health issues, and because there was a lack of green space in their neighborhood, they decided to incorporate gardening into their project.
Known as the Mindful Gardeners, this school-based group meets regularly to discuss mental health, plan fun activities, and share resources available to their community in East L.A. The group's slogan, “Water your plants, water your mind,” connects the dots between mental health and gardening.
“This message is important because we have so much going on in our lives that we forget to take care of ourselves,” said Oseguera, now 15. “Just like we take care of plants, we need to take care of ourselves the same way.”
The program is a GirlsBuild project, an initiative of the LA Promise Fund, which encourages young girls in public schools and youth nonprofits to find ways to make an impact in their communities, which is why you'll often find Mindful Gardeners setting up a table at the East Los Angeles Farmers Market on the weekends, as a way to address mental health issues and destigmatize the conversation around it.
Mindful Gardeners welcomes the school community back during the transition to in-person learning.
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The group helped decorate the sidewalk outside the school with positive messages for students returning to school.
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Adolescent mental health issues were on the rise even before the pandemic, but in 2022, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy issued a 53-page advisory declaring youth mental health a crisis. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report examining 10-year trends in mental health revealed that 42% of high school students felt persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2021, and nearly one-third experienced a worsening of their mental health. Girls fared even worse, with 60% experiencing persistent hopelessness in the past year and about 25% making suicide plans.
Mindful Gardners members say they hope their group can be part of the solution.
“I'm glad I was able to be a part of this program because it allows me to talk to people and get out of my comfort zone,” said Mariah Rizzo, an eighth-grader who is taking part in the program. “We're spreading awareness in the community where mental health isn't talked about much. Students need help too. We're all so busy and don't have much time to focus on ourselves.”
Members of Mindful Gardeners stopped by Beat's offices in June to share resources with the Boyle Heights community.
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Rizzo said the program has helped her and other students at her school find therapy to focus on themselves and their mental health.
Since their inception, Mindful Gardeners has engaged hundreds of students, parents, school staff, and over 1,000 local residents through neighborhood partnerships, group presentations, and events.
At community events, they distribute seed planting kits, custom student-designed stickers, mental health resource guides, and set up tables for bracelet-making and painting activities to get the whole family involved.
The organization also hosts “days of service” in the school garden, bringing together fellow students, parents and community members to help care for the area, take part in fun activities and learn about the connection between mental health and the environment.
Christine Mariano, a psychiatric social worker at the school, helps oversee the club, but says it is deeply student-led.
Students and staff work together on a community garden day at their school.
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Mindful Gardeners will be showing off their wares.
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Hilda Solis stops by the farmers market.
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Bracelet making activity.
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The group's logo is a blooming brain, designed by Oseguerra, and students meet for lunch every week to brainstorm ways to volunteer in their neighborhoods and engage with local residents. The Mindful Gardeners members also created a website and Instagram account.
“Opportunities like this are so important because they give Eastside students the chance to grow as leaders and contribute to their community,” Mariano said. “It's wonderful to see the impact this program has had on the various students who have gone through it over the years.”
Students who participated in the program also had the opportunity to speak with public officials, including California First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, about issues facing the community.
Talking to others about the importance of mental health is what kept Oseguera coming back to the program even after she graduated from middle school: Now a sophomore at James A. Garfield High School, she still volunteers with the group.
“I love Mindful Gardeners. It's like family to me,” Oseguera said. “I hope it expands. It's such a great program, has a positive message, and has helped not only me but so many others. Every school needs programs and opportunities like Mindful Gardeners because not only does it help the students, it helps the community too.”
You are not alone! If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 (or chat online at the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline website) for free, confidential, immediate support. Below are additional free support channels available:
Crisis Text Line: Text “LA” to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor for text support. Trevor Project Lifeline: Contact (800) 788-7386 to connect with a trained counselor who understands the challenges LGBTQ+ youth and allies face in crisis. Substance Abuse Services Helpline: Call (844) 804-7500 to connect with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for referrals to substance use disorder resources and services. 211 LA County: Dial 2-1-1 within Los Angeles County to connect with local health, humanitarian and social services tailored to your needs. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Contact NAMI, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, at (800) 950-6264.
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