Welcome to West Farms in the South Bronx! There’s a lot of beauty here. Like the food, the music, and the spirit of the people. And there’s a lot of things that aren’t easy about living here. Like one of the highest rates of unemployment and poverty in New York City. West Farms also has some of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, and asthma in the city. And the COVID-19 pandemic has made things even more difficult for a lot of our neighbors.
Why are there such high rates of poverty and unemployment in our community? How do these things impact our mental health? What can young people do to address mental health concerns in our community and take action to support our neighbors?
In the summer of 2021, CUP, Teaching Artist Hugo Rojas, and students from the Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School collaborated to investigate these questions. Students explored the issue through digital filmmaking, creating stop-motion animations, surveying community members, and interviewing stakeholders and decision makers.
The group gathered what they learned and created a short documentary film that explores how poverty impacts mental health. Watch the film below!
Students debuted their final project virtually through a public presentation, where they presented their film and shared their creative process.
See more photos of students in action here!