Harvey Lozada

“The 'Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship' is a 15-week internship that engages Filipina/o/x American identified 10th/11th/12th graders to learn about mental wellness in the context of their ethnic and socio-cultural experiences. Students participate in mental health education workshops, engage in community action projects, and attend college/career job talks with Filipinx identified mental health advocates. Former and current Buong Loob interns can join a 12-week (simultaneous) externship to organize a day-long youth-led mental wellness conference in the spring, tailored for Filipinx high schoolers attending schools in SFUSD. This program was developed to address the following issues related to supporting Filipinx families and young people in San Francisco: 1) Cultural stigma of mental health in Filipinx families, 2) Lack of cultural awareness with school site staff in supporting Filipinx families and students, 3) Generational & cultural gaps amongst parents and youth when confronted with mental health challenges, and 4) Disproportionately high rates of suicide ideation amongst Filipinx middle schoolers. By the end of the program, students will be able to: - Examine the intersections of Filipina/o/x American culture, history, and mental health, - Explain the importance of mental health education in the Filipinx community at a community forum, - Build intergenerational relationships amongst middle school students by sharing their experiences with positive coping strategies within a school environment, - Strengthen communication skills that are culturally considerate of Filipinx family dynamics, - Strengthen "resiliency skillsets" when faced with stress and adversity.”