Lia Rivero, a student at Urban Dove TEAM Charter School in New York, isn’t holding back about her struggles. “There’s no counsellors in my school. It’s really bad,” she says, describing her transition from Long Island to an under-resourced urban school as jarring. Her story echoes a broader crisis: nearly 1.7 million students in the U.S. attend schools with zero counselors, disproportionately impacting communities of color. 🏫⚖️
Data shows schools in low-income areas are 3x less likely to have mental health support staff compared to wealthier districts. For students like Lia, this gap means navigating academic pressures and personal growth without guidance—a systemic flaw advocates call an “alarming reality check” on racial inequity. 📉
Youth activists are now pushing policymakers for change, using social media campaigns like #CounselorsNotCops to demand investment in student well-being. “Nobody’s encouraging me to do anything here,” Lia adds, her voice joining a chorus of Gen Z leaders reshaping the education debate. ✊
