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December 15, 2022

“Being yourself / That's golden / Dreaming Big / That's golden” (57)

By Juliana Cotacio, 4th year political science student

You will find this passage in the eccentric work of Unquiet Minds: Youth Anthology of Art and Poetry (2022). It is a book filled with heartwarming pieces that captivate readers into a world of colour, quirkiness, and reflection. The Unquiet Minds Project began as a mental health fundraising initiative in British Columbia to support ’s youth clinics.

The project’s title was inspired by Kay Redfield Jamison’s book, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness (1995), which details her harrowing experiences with bipolarity. So, in aiding others, UVic anthropology Ph.D. candidate, Luke Kernan, wanted to bring about a life-affirming way of raising attention and funds toward promoting mental health activism for youth. The anthology contains works from more than fifty individuals that span two open mics, twenty-two arts-based writing workshops, and a submission callout.

“The book is a five-year love letter and 186-page milestone to how youth can impact the history of how we talk about mental health in British Columbia,” says Kernan.

“The book signifies history, providing an invaluable chronicle,” adds Kernan, “of where youth have not only been, mentally and physically these past few years, in struggling heavily with their internal wherewithal to redress their mental health needs but also in coming together as a community through the Unquiet Minds Projects.”

The book anthology—with financial support from the City of Victoria—came about chiefly as a comforting, celebratory way to utilize youth art as a panacea against the many forms of burnout and isolation youth were becoming accustomed to daily in response to the unprecedented pressures of society. It was a means of letting youth say, “you are not alone,” to their peers.

The process and the production of this book anthology precisely depict this message of hope—especially for those brave youth who have suffered during these past five years and throughout the pandemic. If anything, the art printed on the book’s pages foster compassionate attitudes and patience toward one another. The Unquiet Minds Project seeks to encompass this and more, wishing to inspire others and hold space for mental health discourse and activism.

Beyond that, the book anthology sharply reminds older generations of what needs to be addressed to create additional mental health resources in communities across British Columbia and Canada. Nothing could be further from the truth in strengthening our communities. Thus, in its intent to generate these local-to-federal conversations, the book serves as an initial bridge in uniting people—so that we may mobilize a more loving, destigmatized, and respectful tone when discussing mental health concerns with one another.

The book is available for purchase through the Unquiet Minds Project’s Facebook page () or by emailing one of its volunteer facilitators at unquiet.minds.project@gmail.com. All the proceeds from the book anthology will go toward future arts programming for youth. A project that is sure to spark readers of all ages with a new understanding of what it means to build a more benevolent future by protecting the sanctity of our mental health systems despite the onslaught of so many world crises.

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