How Summer Camp Helps Latino Teens Find Cultural Identity, Boost Mental Health

Campers at Latino Youth Summit draw life-sized self-portraits. The camp for Latino teenagers helps teenagers navigate their identities and mental health. (Claire McInerny/Indiana Public Broadcasting)

As teenagers struggle to establish a sense of self, there’s an added factor for many Latino teens: straddling two cultural identities.

“They also experience prejudice and discrimination,” said Silvia Bigatti, associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at IUPUI. “So that contributes to wondering ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where do I fit in this culture?’ and ‘Where do I fit in this family?'”

This summer, a group of researchers have been trying to help Latino teens battle depression and answer those questions at a one-of-a-kind summer camp.

Latino high school students have a 24 percent higher rate of depression and 65 percent higher rate of suicide attempts compared to their white peers. At the same time, nationally, Latino students are less likely to receive help for mental health problems.

The camp, known as Latino Youth Summit, wants to address this void.

Two Sets Of Cultural Expectations

Jennifer Santana came to the camp during its first session two years ago. Santana’s mom asked her to accompany her little sister, who was struggling with low self-esteem.

Santana didn’t think she’d get anything out of it, but some of the messages she heard stuck with her.

“It’s not what anybody else says about me, it’s not what anybody else thinks of me or what people think about Latinos in general,” Santana said. “As long as I know who I am, I think I’m good.”

This year, Santana graduated high school and returned to the camp to be a mentor to younger students.

Jennifer Santana, center, a counselor at Latino Youth Summit participates in a game with campers and fellow staff. Santana was once a camper who says she benefited from the camp. (Claire McInerny/Indiana Public Broadcasting)

Staff like Santana help teens establish that sense of self-identity. Researchers say that the strain of straddling two cultures can lead to more mental health issues.

At home, students ascribe to one set of cultural expectations. At school or with friends, there are separate cultural norms.

According to researcher Bigatti, approximately 35,000 to 39,000 Latino teens live in Marion County. She estimates about 12,000 or almost one in three teens are depressed, and 8,000 or one in five have had suicidal thoughts.

Although the camp aims to help address these mental health issues, there’s no therapy or traditional mental health interventions. Instead, Bigatti said, the camp focuses on creating a strong self-identify through creative outlets.

Channeling Identity Into Art

In the morning session of the camp, teens discuss issues like growing up in two cultures and it’s challenges. In the afternoon, teens participate in music, dance, yoga and art workshops. They’re activities to help the kids talk about self-identity in a creative way.

“What they do is they sit down around the table and talk about the theme of the day and then they do a collage, where they talk about who they want to be when they grow up,” Bigatti said.

A camper at Latino Youth Summit works on a self portrait. (Claire McInerny/Indiana Public Broadcasting)

One project the teens work on is a life-size portrait where they depict a version of the person they want to be in the future.

“Some are dressed as soccer player, some are wearing a suit, some are an astronaut, whatever they want to be when they grow up,” Bigatti said. “As they’re doing it, they’re talking about it and problem solving and saying ‘Sure, I want to be an astronaut but it’s not just going to happen, what do I have to do to get there?’”

And these tactics are working.

In the three years since the camp started, surveys administered by researchers find teens who participate in the camp report having higher self-esteem and the ability to address negative aspects of life months after camp ends.

Helping teens improve their confidence and giving them tools to deal with challenges is important for all aspects of a teenager’s life, especially school.

Campers at Latino Youth Summit. (Claire McInerny/Indiana Public Broadcasting)

‘Latinos Are Important, Hispanics Are Important’

For Santana, she knows she has to pay for college, but rather than looking at that as a barrier to pursuing a degree, she was able to make an attainable plan.

“I chose pharmacy technician as a stepping stone, so I’m going to get my certification,” Santana said. “While I’m working at a pharmacy technician, because it’s one year, I’m going to be studying to do double major for photography and business administration.”

She wants to open a coffee shop while practicing photography. And as she heads into this next phase of life, she feels the camp has prepared her for the challenges and tough challenges ahead.

“I learned here that Latinos are important, Hispanics are important,” Santana said. “So, as far as school comes and adulthood and everything after high school, I feel like I have a voice just like everyone else.”