Two teenage students from Saint Catherine Academy in Belize, 13-year-old Arianna Grant and 14-year-old Jahmia Lodge, are challenging common misconceptions that young people lack the ability to drive meaningful community change with their new grassroots mental health initiative, ‘Every Mind Matters’.
The project serves a dual purpose: to expand public conversation around mental health across the country and shine a spotlight on the Lake I Welcome Resource Center, a critical local support institution that serves countless residents of the Lake Independence division. The pair’s work was sparked by a chance encounter when Grant walked past the center and observed the community members accessing its services, an experience that opened her eyes to the gap in public awareness for both the center and unaddressed mental health needs locally.
“I’d passed by the center many times before, but I’d never really stopped to learn what it does,” Grant explained in an interview. “When I saw the people relying on its support, I knew we had to do something. So many people struggle with mental health challenges, but we still don’t talk about it openly enough.” For Lodge, the initiative grew from a deeply held belief that compassion and open dialogue can change how communities approach mental wellness. “Mental health deserves to be recognized and acknowledged,” she said. “You never know what someone is carrying with them unless we create space to talk about it — and by then, it’s often too late for those who are struggling.”
Next Wednesday, the teens will host a community paint-and-sip gathering at the Lake I Welcome Resource Center, where they will distribute handmade clay bracelets, pre-collected food supplies, and hygiene products to center guests. The initiative has already received backing from local business RF&G Insurance Ltd., which is sponsoring the event.
Beyond the upcoming community gathering, Grant and Lodge are calling on members of the public to support their cause by donating non-perishable food items, hygiene products, and essential household supplies, all of which will go directly to guests of the resource center. More than just collecting donations, however, the pair have a larger goal: to dismantle the harmful social stigma that still surrounds mental illness in Belize, and encourage all Belizeans to regularly check in with friends, family, and neighbors who may be struggling.
As Grant puts it: “It could be anybody you know. That’s why every mind matters.” Community members who wish to donate or get involved with the initiative can contact the organizers via call or text at 610-4446 or 615-8131.