It's no secret that young people have to deal with a lot of change. Growing up, learning to behave like an adult while maintaining some semblance of joyful youth, and balancing school with work and a social life is a lot to handle. While many millennials embrace the importance of mental health and self-care, many also forget to take care of themselves amidst everything else going on in their lives. This is understandable. However, with a 2.6% reported increase in youth depression rates from 2011 to 2014, according to Mental Health America, and nearly 80% of youth left with insufficient treatment, the validity and importance of safe spaces comes to light. It's time to stop pretending that we're all okay all the time and take initiative over the status of our mental well-beings.

Safe spaces are places where anyone can fully express themselves without being judged on the basis of sex, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, race, etc. With the recent presidential election of professional bigot Donald Trump and his campaign to deplete the rights of so many people with varying identities, safe spaces are absolutely crucial. We need to be able to take shelter in our own communities and feel safe wherever we go. We need places that promote this very ideology. College campuses and community centers are great places to start. Muslim students, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color have all been victimized for being who they are and expressing their will to be present in society. Especially under Trump's America, it's absolutely unfair and utterly disgusting that so many people have fallen prey to hate crimes and abuse. This is only projected to get worse, which saddens, frustrates, and scares so many people. Safe spaces are about nonviolent retaliation - a place to promote positivity and self care while living as a minority or a mentally ill person in the United States.

Many people think that safe spaces aren't necessary; that we should be spending our time thinking of ways to actively protest oppression or simply carry on while ignoring the fact that such a large part of the United States population needs help. Whereas I'll agree that being in the streets protesting for a cause is an incredible thing to do, it isn't all that needs to happen for the well-being of minorities and the mentally ill. Safe spaces provide an atmosphere of positivity and belonging. Logging on to social media isn't even fun anymore. It's so full of hate and worry and sadness - emotions that will carry over long after logging out. It simply isn't enough to talk about members of a certain community. It's time to embrace diversity and promote strength for others and for the self.

Ask around your campus or community center for information on available safe spaces or clubs/activities that promote safety and mental health.