“Self-care is a form of resistance:” Interview with Greisy Hernandez
The original interviews I did for Youth to Power were longer than could fit in my book, but I wanted to share the valuable information with you all. These interviews will be up online as a permanent, free resource for people, young people in particular, looking for inspiration.
— Jamie Margolin
Greisy Hernandez (she/her), 18, is the founder of Las Chicas Chulas and a mental health advocate
Jamie Margolin: How did you become an advocate for Latinas and mental health for young women of color?
Greisy: I started organizing with the wellness sector at the old General Hospital in LA when I was in middle school. I learned about coping strategies to combat stress and routines to maintain balanced mental health.
Everyone deserves equitable access to mental health services regardless of their race, class, or citizenship status. I struggled with finding resources. You can’t pick and choose your struggles, but you can focus on one to create solutions for you and your community.
What is Las Chicas Chulas, and how do you empower and advocate for mental health?
I’ve had a vision of creating a community and safe space for Latinas. This is how Las Chicas Chulas was born. The collective uses social media to help connect folks. I use this platform to uplift conversations on diverse sociopolitical topics, most importantly mental health. We also put on events.
I also ended up using my affinity for fashion to make a Chicas Chulas clothing line, which celebrates melanin and reclaiming Westernized ideas of beauty.
Jamie: What is your advice to young people on making self-care and mental health a central part in activist space?
Self-care is a form of resistance. We need to take care of ourselves and each other so we have the energy to change the world. One of the most practical ways of doing this is by finding your community. There is healing and power in community, especially when we feel safe enough to be vulnerable with each other.
Find a therapist or dedicate a day out of your week to check in with yourself, write your thoughts down, or use the audio recorder on your phone — just rant if you need to! Sometimes we suppress our emotions, and it’s really transformative when you hold space for yourself to unpack those emotions. If you use social media, you have the power to curate your feed. Follow mental health experts or people who are optimistic; be intentional with the media you consume.
