FRONTLINE:

A space where your story matters.

FRONTLINE is a free, year-long program where AANHPI youth come together to explore mental health, share stories through art and film, and support each other in community.

An illustrated group of diverse people holding protest signs with messages like “We All Belong Here,” “Art Heals,” “Healing Happens Together,” and heart drawings, symbolizing unity, inclusion, and the power of community healing.

You don’t need any experience—just curiosity and your own voice.

Why We’re Here:

  • Challenge the Stigma

    around mental health. We all will move through hard times. That doesn’t mean we’re broken. We heal in community. Let’s get to work.

    Youth participants presenting their community health projects in a classroom setting with whiteboards and slides.

  • Spark Conversation

    between peers, generations, and institutions. Your voice matters. Your wellbeing matters. You can make a difference.

    Youth participants presenting their community health projects in a classroom setting with whiteboards and slides.

  • Become a Leader

    in the Youth Mental Health Space by completing the year-long mentorship and training. Learn the skills and tools to create healing for yourself and your peers.

    Youth participants presenting their community health projects in a classroom setting with whiteboards and slides.

Real Voices from Youth

“Mental Health is not talked about—especially in Asian households, stigmatized.”

A diverse group of youth standing and smiling together in front of a BRIDGE and partner organization backdrop at a community event.

“I wish I would’ve known how easy it actually is to get help with these things and how accessible it can be.”

Youth participate in an outdoor group activity, with some blindfolded and others guiding them under a sunny sky between campus buildings.

“I want to be honest and vulnerable.”

This isn’t school. It’s a creative, exploratory space where you can learn, make art, and lead—at your own pace, with no pressure to be perfect.

What You’ll Experience

  • You’re 14 - 25 years old

  • You live in San Diego County

  • You’re connected to a community college or community organization

  • You care about mental health, community, identity, and change

  • You’re interested in earning scholarship money

  • You’re ready to be a leader in your community, you just need the skills and platform to make it happen

Then yes. You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
And it’s totally free to join.

Is This For you?

Your Year in FRONTLINE

A vibrant oil pastel drawing of a cat in profile, with fur in vivid shades of red, blue, yellow, and white, set against a teal background.

You’ll take part in five workshops from September to June that guide you through healing, identity, and community care.

Learn & Commit

  • Start by learning what mental health really means — and why it’s more than just personal struggles. We look at mental health through culture, community, and care.

  • Explore how family history and culture shape how we feel, act, and heal. You’ll reflect on the past and reclaim what healing looks like for your future.

  • Learn skills to build healthier, more supportive relationships — with friends, family, and yourself. We practice communication and setting boundaries.

  • Healing doesn’t happen alone. In this workshop, we imagine and co-create new ways to care for ourselves and each other — with community at the heart.

  • Wrap up the year by sharing your story, your growth, and your art. We honor each other and celebrate what we’ve built together.

  • All five workshops are required, but there’s no pressure to be perfect. Showing up for yourself and your community is what matters — and we’ll support you all the way.

An illustrated mermaid with purple hair sits on a polluted shore, holding a bird as she gazes at the trash-filled ocean. A ship leaks dark oil into the water, surrounded by dead fish and floating debris.

You’ll create an art or film project that reflects your story and what you’ve learned — and submit it to our statewide scholarship competition.

Make Art. Share Truth.

  • From zines to short films, your creative work is a way to share your truth and inspire others. You don’t need to be an artist — just willing to express what matters to you.

  • Your final project enters you into a statewide scholarship competition. We uplift youth stories that show growth, healing, and bold imagination — yours could help fund your future.

A group of youth pose together in front of an event backdrop, smiling and making playful hand gestures, with sunlight illuminating the scene.

We’ve Got You — All Year

You’ll have weekly office hours to get support, ask questions, or just check in. We’re here for you, every step of the way.

What You’ll Learn and Create

See what other youth have created in FRONTLINE.
From zines to poetry, short films to posters—your art can take any shape you want.

  • A grayscale figure sits hunched over in a dark space, illuminated by colorful heart shapes emerging from a small phone screen. The rainbow-colored hearts contrast with the dull surroundings, symbolizing emotional support from online communities.

    Internet Connection

    Angelina Amaral | 12th Grade

    Angelo Rodriguez High School | Solano County

  • A person with long blue hair sits with their head down, while another hand reaches out holding a crisis hotline card and a green awareness ribbon, symbolizing offering help and support.

    Not Alone

    Charlotte Griffiths | 11th Grade

    Claremont High School | Tri-City (Los Angeles County)

  • A girl is shown underwater, her mouth open as if speaking, with white abstract shapes pulling her down. The water’s surface reflects distorted light, symbolizing the struggle of expressing oneself when words feel drowned out.

    Drowned Words

    Melissa Peng | 12th Grade

    Angelo Rodriguez High School | Solano County

  • The word “HELP” is painted in large, crumbling blue letters, resembling abandoned buildings. A bright light shines from behind, illuminating the dark, decayed cityscape and broken power lines.

    There is light

    Cecilia Rangel | 9th Grade

    POLY High School | Riverside County

  • A young person sits at a desk with a thought bubble above them filled with the word “SUPPORTIVE” surrounded by colorful, hand-painted words like “kind,” “caring,” “encouraging,” and “helpful,” expressing values of a better society.

    Being Supportive

    Belen Hernandez | 9th Grade

    POLY High School | Riverside County

  • A figure floats above city rooftops holding a green awareness ribbon tied to a red heart-shaped balloon, set against a vibrant sky with a setting sun and a bridge in the background, symbolizing hope, support, and mental health awareness.

    Floating Into Better Health

    Joaquin Domingo | 11th Grade

    Whittier Public Library | Los Angeles County

  • An adult comforts a crying youth on a couch, with colorful art on the wall behind them, symbolizing a supportive space for mental health conversations.

    Mental Health Matters

    Abbey Villanueva | 12th Grade

    Claremont High School | Tri-City (Los Angeles County)

HOT POT

Los Alamitos High School
A 2024 Through the Lens of Culture PSA winner. This student-made short film shows a son who struggles with school and mental health, and his journey to open up to his father.

You’ll build real skills—without the pressure of school.

Here’s some of what we’ll explore together:

  • An illustration of a person with red hair wearing large headphones, eyes closed, surrounded by plants, flowers, and floating musical notes.

    Integrated Self-Awareness

  • A vivid close-up painting of a person's face with expressive brushstrokes in shades of pink, orange, and yellow, showing a reflective gaze.

    Liberatory Emotional Intelligence

  • An illustration of two people holding hands and dancing joyfully in a forest, with soft glowing light in the background.

    Embodied Non-Violent Communication

  • A painting of a small potted plant with purple flowers framed by vines and leaves, each leaf inscribed with words like “Honest” and “Unique.”

    Decolonized Trauma-Informed Care Training

  • An illustration of five people standing close in a circle with their backs turned, a soft green light glowing from their chests against a dark background.

    Relational Repair Skills

  • A painting of four raised fists of different skin tones wearing wristbands with phrases like “Hope,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “#StopAsianHate” on a bright blue radial background.

    Community Organizing and Leadership

Applications for our 2025-2026 cohort open August 1.

Ready to Join?

FRONTLINE is free to join, and no experience is needed

Know your team?
Great! You can go straight to the sign-up form through your school or community org.

Not sure which team you're part of?
No problem! Just fill out the interest form with a message, and we’ll help you get connected.

Have Questions? We Got You.

  • No experience needed. Show up as you are. All we ask is that you arrive with an open mind and heart and an eagerness to learn about how our stories, our history, impact our collective mental wellbeing.

  • The more the merrier! We do need all Youth Leaders to sign up though. 

  • The work that we do here is hard. Definitely fun! But also hard. We’re out here breaking cycles of generational trauma and healing ourselves so that we can guide the way for others to heal. It’s normal to be nervou about embarking on this big journey. But don’t worry. We got you. Drop into weekly office hours with Mx K for more support. Reach out to other friends in the group. This is about creating community centered in healing.

  • Just bring yourself, a water bottle, and an open heart. We provide meals and snacks, and all the supplies. If you have a tablet or laptop you prefer to work on, feel free to bring that.

Want to share FRONTLINE with someone you know?

Tap below to open the flyer—easy to screenshot, save, or send to a friend.

Our partners

  • San Diego Foundation logo with a colorful geometric flower and green text.
  • Side of Change Consulting logo in serif navy font with a red diagonal brushstroke.
  • YMCA of San Diego County logo with a blue and purple 'Y' and light blue text below.
  • Grossmont College logo with black serif text and a green crest showing a griffin.
  • San Diego Mesa College logo in blue serif text.