13 to 25

Hear Grace, 16, in MA talk with Mercer, 17, in NC about their perceptions and experiences surrounding Gen Z and mental health. Season 7 coincides with our Springtide Series on Mental Health and features 16 young people discussing where they get messages about mental health, the people they turn to for support, how a sense of purpose plays a role in their overall mental wellbeing, and more.

Hear George, 23, in FL talk with Joe, 21, in CA about their perceptions and experiences surrounding Gen Z and mental health. Season 7 coincides with our Springtide Series on Mental Health and features 16 young people discussing where they get messages about mental health, the people they turn to for support, how a sense of purpose plays a role in their overall mental wellbeing, and more. Be sure t...

Destina is a first-generation Chicana and a first-year PhD student. She talks about how the Catholic Church’s violence against indigenous people, among other things, has made her question the religion she was raised in. Her close personal relationship with La Virgen -- who Destina understands as pre-Hispanic -- is the reason why Destina says she has not completely disaffiliated from the Church.

Brian, a Peruvian graduate student, reflects on the role his family and their migration to the U.S. has played in his faith life. Brian shares that practices like prayer and weekly Mass not only deepen his personal faith, but also help him feel close to his family while he is away at school.

Gaby identifies as Catholic and Latina. She grew up going to Spanish-language Masses with her mom, even though they did not always feel welcome by the church community. Now, Gaby is a first-gen PhD student who continues to find meaning and value in going to Mass with her friends.

Rather than identifying as Catholic like the rest of her family, Blanca describes herself as spiritual. While she sometimes feels guilty that she does not share her family’s religious beliefs, Blanca discusses how her new spirituality has greatly improved her mental health.

Ryan is a Mexican-American theater maker and producer living in New York City. Though he once felt called to join the priesthood, Ryan is no longer active in the Catholic Church. However, Ryan continues to feel connected to his heritage, community, and faith through his devotion to La Virgen de Guadalupe.

Josué, a Chicanx media curator in Los Angeles, practices the Bahá’í faith and seeks to have love be the anchor in what connects them to Dao (the way) as well as the familial and community relationships that have shaped them and their sense of spirituality. To feel rooted, they look to nature, movement, art, meditation, and connection with others.

Elyse, a high school sophomore in Massachusetts, is a Catholic young person who emphasizes the importance of making space for questions as well as doubt within the realm of religion. Her spiritual practices include participating in school masses that are student-run, spending time with her family, and being alone to write or meditate.

Christian, a senior at La Salle University, grew up in a Puerto Rican-Italian Catholic family but says he presently focuses on not seeing religion as “one-sided.” He utilizes daily meditation, solitude, conversations on faith, and literature with social justice themes to feel in touch with God, nature, and humanity.

Zaina, a high school junior in Massachusetts, shares how her exposure to Islam informs the way she pursues her own sense of spirituality while also borrowing practices she finds meaningful from multiple religions. To feel rooted, she spends time in nature and utilizes meditation, crystals, and wholistic healing.

Amethyst, a professional dancer in Chicago, shares how they’re seeking to connect histories and spiritual practices from the identities they hold as an African American, Indigenous, and Queer person alongside elements they find meaningful within Christianity. They describe God as a feeling of safety, look to nature to feel rooted, and utilize dance and beatboxing as forms of prayer.

Abby, a youth minister in Michigan, shares how her faith journey has been shaped by practicing gratitude, connecting with people from a range of different beliefs and backgrounds, and taking time to understand the meaning behind the sacraments and structure of the Catholic Church. To center herself, Abby finds comfort in being near a body of water and carving out a prayer corner as a sacred space...

Daniel, a college senior and a football quarterback at Duke University, describes how Judaism has provided him with a deep sense of community throughout all different stages of his life. Participating in weekly Shabbat dinners on his campus offers a weekly rhythm where he can take a break to breathe, reflect, and connect with other Jewish students and faith leaders. He also describes how being in...

Lily, a sophomore in high school, compares her faith journey to her life as a ballet dancer, describing both as constants which offer her a source of comfort as well as happiness. A practicing Catholic, Lily also points to reading scripture, being in nature, spending time with her family, connecting with other Asian American teenagers in an advocacy group, and meditating as practices that ground h...

Saad, a pre-med student in Chicago, shares how asking hard questions and traversing obstacles throughout his adolescence have deepened both his understanding and practice of Islam. He describes his daily prayer life where he can “talk to God as a friend” as well as acts of charity as essential sacred practices to feel connected to his local and global Muslim faith community.

Lucy, a college student at Villanova University, shares how she weaves an appreciation for tradition with a need for exploration in how she defines and approaches her spiritual life. Participating in small faith communities, playing music in various religious and non-religious spaces, and connecting with the natural world are practices she finds integral for nurturing her inner and outer life.

Springtide Executive Director Dr. Josh Packard talks with Marte Aboagye, producer of The Voices of Young People Podcast , about key themes and takeaways from Season 5, exploring how the 10 guests' stories correspond with our latest report: The State of Religion & Young People 2021: Navigating Uncertainty.

25-year-old Avthar describes the tech industry as a place of fulfillment for engaging problem-solving and being of service to others. He highlights the ways his current boss has built a positive work environment for offering constructive feedback and points to other trusted adults who have invested in his personal growth throughout his youth and young adulthood.

Combining a degree in Spanish and a passion for healthcare, 23-year-old Cristina offers a compelling look at her decision to pursue a career as a healthcare interpreter. She describes the importance of finding balance between work and life: making time to enjoy outside interests and friendships and connecting with a mentor who's working to build online community spaces with fellow Latinas.

While student-teaching during his final semester of college, Jesse shares how mentors are helping him cultivate both personal and professional growth, noting how even small, intentional gestures from them have impacted his life. He discusses practical ways he hopes to support his own students as an educator, including bringing principles of restorative justice into the classroom.

A lover of the arts, Mat is in his final semester of college and considering between career paths in music production, musical theater, or dance. He reflects on the challenges of entering the performing arts professionally during a global pandemic and offers perspective on the lessons he’s gleaned from mentors at work and school.

In her final college semester, and while preparing for graduate school at a seminary, Tatum shares her hopes of becoming a Methodist pastor, largely driven by her passion to root her work in disability justice. As a functionally blind person advocating for overall accessibility and awareness, Tatum draws helpful parallels between “spoon theory” and work-life balance.

14-year-old Lucy already has her hopes set on studying developmental psychology, specifically focused on child and adolescent development. She shares how her own mental health journey has led her to want to pursue work where she can offer children and youth the kinds of critical resources she's benefited from. In addition to her career ambitions, Lucy points to other sources of meaning in her pers...

23-year-old Abdalla shares his passion for engineering, the ways he hopes to see workplaces continue to grow in their inclusion efforts and strategies, and how his Muslim faith offers opportunities for meaning, mentorship, and growth.