Cristian Granados

I’m Cristian, 17, a rising senior at Palmer High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This summer I chose to be at the Youth Documentary Academy because over the past few years I’ve found that film is a great way for me to express myself, and it’s taken up most of my free-time since then.
We watched two student documentaries on suicide in class one day, and I realized that I was uncomfortable with talking openly about suicide. My discomfort was the exact reason I knew I wanted to help spread the word. I decided I needed to join the #SpeakingOurMinds campaign. I have never personally struggled with depression or mental health issues. But by remaining quiet, we risk being a part of the problem. Now, I’m looking to help people openly and positively talk about depression and suicide prevention. As I promote these films about suicide prevention, I’d like to help make suicide a more comfortable part of our discussions. I no longer want to be a part of a group that stays silent: there are too many people who need to be heard.