Student Profile: Kimberlyn Carter
June 17, 2024
Kimberlyn Carter is a Lamar State College Orange student with a passion for mental health advocacy. She wrote a poem titled A Letter to my Mental Health inspired by her own struggles with mental well-being. Through tragic loss and devastating news, Carter found an outlet in writing.
In February of 2021, Kimberlyn was ecstatic to learn she was pregnant. Sadly, only a month later, she was met with devastating news. She suffered an unexpected and disheartening miscarriage. Suddenly, she was left to carry the weight of this grief.
To make matters worse she was told that if she could not conceive within a year, she would be required to undergo a hysterectomy, leaving her unable to have children. This only drove her further down a dark road mentally leaving her feeling isolated and depressed. With seemingly nowhere left to turn, Carter shocked herself by putting pen to paper to convey her story through poetry.
She eventually found herself able to share this poem with friends and family. Through her writing, she felt a sense of understanding from those whom she entrusted it with. This sparked an interest in her to share it with those outside of her circle. She hopes her work reaches an audience that can resonate with her past mental health struggles to help others feel less alone and find a voice.
Carter has since overcome her battle with depression. She went on to have a baby girl in December of 2022. This rainbow baby brought a newfound joy into her life. She attributes a portion of her healing to A Letter to my Mental Health, too, since it gave her a voice to cry out for help. She now wants to give her past pain a purpose and share her story.