Leaders in Interpersonal Violence Education will host Out of Stigma’s Shadow, an event featuring students who will share their experiences with mental health, March 4.

Active Minds, Mental Health Peer Health Educators, Psi Chi, Reflections, the the Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Helpline (S.A.R.A.H), SU Senate Health and Wellness Committee, Synapse and Uncle Joe’s will co-host the event. It will be the second event of Mental Health Awareness Month and will take place at 6 p.m. in Umrath Lounge.

The event allows students to submit their personal stories about mental health that can be read by themselves or someone else out loud.

“What we hope to do is to decrease the stigma surrounding discussions about mental health as well as encourage people to care for each other,” senior Nick Kinberg, a member of Leaders in Interpersonal Violence (L.I.V.E.), said.

Organizers have considered how the stories shared during the event may impact students, deciding to provide resources for students who may feel uncomfortable or traumatized.
“We want to do it in a way that is empowering and community-building instead of retraumatizing, so we have a lot of resources available to people during the event and after that they can talk to,” L.I.V.E. co-president senior Mary Gay said.

Uncle Joe’s Peer Counseling services, along with Habif Health and Wellness Center and the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center, will be providing support resources. Representatives from Uncle Joe’s declined to comment.

Since the main goal is to discuss mental health, options will be provided for students who elect not to speak.

“We also invite any students who did not feel comfortable submitting their story for the event to participate in Post Secret at the end of the event, where they can share their story on post-it notes that will be displayed as part of a powerful exhibit with the same goal as [Out of Stigma’s Shadow],” sophomore Vi Krstic, wrote in a statement to Student Life on behalf of Active Minds.

Out of Stigma’s Shadow is part of the greater Mental Health Awareness Month, which will feature a panel on Imposter Syndrome, an M.D./Ph.D. panel and more, according to Krstic.

L.I.V.E. and the Men’s Project will host a Whiteboard Campaign, March 2. L.I.V.E. will also host panels on imposter syndrome and neurology on March 19 and 26, respectively.
The organizers are very hopeful about Out of Stigma’s Shadow’s potential to positively impact the campus.

“We can create a safe space where people can both share and listen and feel heard, and ultimately engage with people about mental health in a way that’s impactful and meaningful,” SU Senate Health and Wellness Committee Chair sophomore Gaby Smith said.