Girl Up

The following blog was written by a member of Girl Up’s Global Mental Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, a committee of youth dedicated to bringing more mental health and resources to global Girl Up community. After conducting research in their own communities, the advisory group identified three key issue areas, the first being the stigma surrounding getting mental health support. The following blog is part of a letter writing series that addresses the role of stigma; the campaign is youth-led, youth-written and youth-inspired.

Dear Latin America,

Let me tell you a story that echoes through the leaves of the trees and the whispers of the
rivers. In this vast country, where diversity paints every corner in vibrant colors, there is still
an echo of voices that often go unheard. People walk the streets carrying an invisible weight,
a burden not seen, but deeply felt.

The scars we carry are not just marks of the past; they are memories of deafening silences.
Looking back at centuries of colonization, slavery, dictatorship, and inequality, we realize that
the wounds still bleed in the souls of today’s youth. Brazil’s history is rich, but also deeply
marked by pain that continues across generations. And the echoes of that pain are still
heard today, especially in the spaces where the future is supposed to bloom: in classrooms,
in families, in the voices of the young.

Today, many students enter the classroom with backpacks filled with more than just books.
They carry fears, insecurities, anxiety, and questions about their place in the world. Many
teachers, despite their efforts, carry silences too, about the racism that shows in glances and
unspoken words, about the sexism that still shapes behavior, about the social violence that
defines reality outside the school walls. The historical silence around mental health, identity,
inequality, and exclusion reappears every day, disguised as misbehavior, dropout rates, or
literal silence.

At home, the story often repeats itself. Many young people don’t find space to be truly heard.
Emotions are seen as weakness. “Stop crying,” they’re told. How many times have we
heard, “We didn’t have this in our day”? But we did. The difference is, no one talked about it.
And that silence became inheritance. A legacy that traps us still.

Today, Latin America youth face enormous challenges: anxiety, depression, food insecurity,
lack of opportunity, and relentless pressure to fit into molds created by a demanding society.
We grow up surrounded by unreachable expectations and social media that show carefully
crafted perfection, while inside us, real fears and insecurities grow. Our homes are often not
places where we can speak freely about how we feel. Instead, we’re taught to swallow our
pain and smile even when our hearts are breaking.

But this needs to change. We must create safe spaces where we can express our sadness
without fear of judgment. We need schools where listening is part of the curriculum, not the
exception. We need homes where affection takes up more space than pressure. We must
understand that saying “I’m not okay” does not make us less worthy; on the contrary, it
makes us human. And being human is a deep, complex experience.

Mental health should be treated as part of whole health. Our emotional struggles are just as
real as any physical illness; they deserve care and attention. We can no longer allow stigma
to silence us and keep us prisoners inside our own minds.

This letter is an invitation: let’s start talking openly about what we feel. Let’s break the cycle
of silence and shame. Let’s support one another through our struggles and celebrate our
victories, no matter how small.

Let’s turn our schools into places of true welcome. Let’s make our homes safe harbors for
emotion. Let’s write a new story together, one where vulnerability is strength, where listening
builds bridges, and where love becomes revolution.

If you are struggling in silence, know this: you are not alone. Your pain is real, and it
deserves to be heard. You deserve support, you deserve to understand your feelings and
find paths to healing.

Let’s stop whispering and start shouting together. Let’s turn our pain into poetry, our struggle
into strength, and our history into a collective story of hope.

With love and solidarity,
Gabriela

Don’t see your country represented? Submit a letter to be published! Email your draft to communications@girlup.org for a chance to be featured.

To read other letter, see here.