Photo by Tim Dennell, Posted by Nellie Mae Ed. Fdn.
Prioritizing Mental Wellness Amidst Virtual Learning
As the two pandemics of COVID-19 and anti-Black racism rage on, young people across our region are faced with compounding burdens that are putting strains on their personal lives, well-being and educational experience.
As students ourselves, we know full well how the effects of isolation, nationwide protests around systemic racism and seeing the murders of more Black people at the hands of police, coupled with experiencing remote learning for the first time, and different family circumstances have had on our mental health.
We also recognize that remote learning is not the same experience for every student. Across our region, many students do not have reliable access to high-speed internet access, and many young people have had to take on the roles of caretaking or working to support their families, making it difficult to join remote classes or complete assignments on time.
We are proud to have collaborated with The Nellie Mae Education Foundation to design a youth-led rapid response grant fund aimed at supporting young people across the region with remote learning and mental health supports. We invite you to read the full Request for Proposals here.
Lydia Mann, Granite State Organizing Project
Mealaktey Sok, ARISE (Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education)
Niamiah Jefferson, ARISE (Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education)