On August 12, 2026, two teenage students from Saint Catherine Academy in Belize brought creative community action to the forefront of local mental health advocacy, turning paintbrushes and open conversation into tools to break down long-standing stigma around mental illness in the country.
Thirteen-year-old Arianna Grant and 14-year-old Jahmia Lodge debuted their community-focused “Every Mind Matters” initiative at Belize’s Lake-I Welcome Resource Center, hosting a therapeutic paint-and-sip gathering for center visitors ranging in age from 35 to 65. Alongside the interactive art activity, the pair also donated much-needed food and personal hygiene supplies to guests of the facility, which provides support and resources to vulnerable community members.
The partnership between the students and the resource center began one month earlier, in July 2025, when the two teens reached out to center administrator Beatrice Vernon looking for meaningful ways to give back to their local community. After learning about the range of guests the center serves and the unaddressed mental health needs many of them face, the pair quickly settled on the idea of a relaxed, creative art session as a low-pressure way to open up conversations about mental wellbeing.
For the participating guests, the activity offered far more than a casual creative outlet. Kirk Simpson, one of the center visitors who took part, shared that the session left him feeling like he had reconnected with his younger self, echoing a sentiment shared by many other attendees. Beyond the joy of painting, participants described the gathering as a rare opportunity to slow down, prioritize their own mental health, and feel recognized rather than overlooked for the struggles they face.
Vernon noted that the event was a welcome surprise for the center’s regular guests, who rarely get the chance to participate in unique, creative activities like the paint-and-sip. She emphasized that for attendees, the day carried extra excitement: it paired hands-on art with small, thoughtful treats that made the experience feel special and intentional.
For the teen organizers, the initiative grew from a shared recognition that mental health deserves far more public attention and compassion in Belize. Speaking on the purpose of the project, which began as a passion project for their school, Lodge explained that the pair chose to center art because it creates a gentle, comfortable space to connect with people experiencing mental health challenges.
Grant echoed that sentiment, noting that the experience has been deeply rewarding for her as a young organizer. She shared that working directly with community members has opened her eyes to the impact of local volunteer work, taught her how to build meaningful connections with people across generations, and reinforced her love of giving back. When asked if she would encourage other young people to follow in her footsteps, she affirmed that teens have the power to make real change in their communities by stepping up to address unmet needs.
Vernon praised the teens’ work as a transformative gift for the center and its guests, highlighting that the pair’s youth and creative approach helped them connect with people that the center had previously struggled to reach, bridging gaps in local mental health outreach. She emphasized that the initiative proves that even young people can drive meaningful change around important social issues, and she expressed hope that Grant and Lodge’s example will inspire more young Belizeans to get involved in mental health advocacy and challenge harmful misconceptions about people living with mental health challenges.