Cedar Rapids witnessed a powerful display at Kirkwood Community College, where 1,100 flags were planted to symbolize the approximate number of college students lost to suicide each year. Organized by the student group Active Minds, the initiative aimed to generate critical conversations about mental health awareness and prevention.

In his freshman year at UC Davis, Carlos Reales Dominguez began experiencing the first symptoms of schizophrenia—signs he wouldn’t recognize until much later. His testimony sheds light on the silent struggles many young adults face with mental illness.