april 22 2013151 when 18yearold joaquin luna jr committed suicide in 2011 his family told reporters he had killed himself because of the despair he felt over his immigration status he lived in mission texas and wanted to become an engineer then there was yanelli hernandez a dream act eligible 22yearold in reading ohio who was taking antidepressants and had attempted suicide twice before she was deported by immigration officials in 2011 these and many other cases have opened a conversation on the mental health needs of undocumented youth the failure of the dream act in 2010 dealt a blow to the psyches of the undocumented young people ask any undocumented youth today and most if not all will agree the disappointment was devastating imelda plascencia says she has lived three bouts of depression as a result of the grief of her status plascencia 27 who was brought from mexico by her family when she was 5 said that the struggles she faced were so daunting and heavy and overwhelming being undocumented is very much a roller coaster she says youre constantly being defeated in so many ways getting your first car or moving out for college are cultural rites of passage that mark a persons transition into becoming a selfsustaining adult undocumented immigrants who are denied these rites by their situation are also deprived of the growth that comes with those moments their status keeps them in what researchers call a developmental limbo for plascencia the anxiety of possibly being deported and stresses of her status took a toll on her so she decided to do something about it with the support of the dream resource center in los angeles pascencia started the circle project in 2011 circle or collective of immigrant resilience through community led empowerment is a talking circle for members to vent frustrations and learn how others are dealing with their status the intimate sessions of less than 10 people provide an opportunity for youth to collectively support each other and share resources for dealing with their struggle there about five in the los angeles area where young undocumented immigrants can share experiences and seek help from their peers undocumented collegeage volunteers lead the sessions luis nolasco 22 who was brought from mexico at the age of 9 says his identity made him feel super isolated and that the limbo he found himself in led to his depression it sucked it was hell its something i wouldnt want anyone to go through he said there isnt much help for our community realistically none of us has funds to see a therapist and pay 100 per hour he said noting that many undocumented immigrant live below or near poverty levels and are unable to access health care nolasco is working with heath officials in riverside a county adjacent to los angeles to create a similar program for undocumented youth there in addition to creating the talking circles for young people nolasco is engaging