Speak Up: Student-Driven Campaign Unites Communities to Fight Stigma of Mental Health Through Media
Washington, DC (PRWEB) February 18, 2014 -- Students representing colleges, universities and communities, from coast to coast, are conducting a case-study campaign to demonstrate general public commitment to reduce stigma and discrimination around mental health by supporting the creation of resources to guide authentic storytelling in entertainment productions, news and digital media. Donations will go towards the Entertainment Industries Council, a nonprofit organization, and their programs providing mental health education, resources and recognition to entertainment writers, journalists, bloggers, and students in these fields.
These campaign programs include the nationally televised PRISM Awards, First Draft technical assistance for entertainment writers, TEAM Up (Tools for Entertainment and Media), Generation Next training on college, university and community college campuses, multi-state journalist training, and maintenance of resource websites for suicide prevention, among other activities.
“The way TV shows, movies, and other media sources portray mental health and suicide prevention has a vital role to play in reducing the stigma that often accompanies people’s ideas of depression, suicide or bipolar disorder and, in some cases, identifiable characters can inspire and even save lives; these students recognize this and want to elevate the national conversation,” commented Marie Gallo Dyak, Executive Vice President of Program Services & Government Relations and TEAM Up Program Director for EIC
The campaign launches today and will be open for sixty days, with an end goal to raise $10,000 for the creation and maintenance of resources and programs that encourage and foster authentic informative media.
“We are honored that these young people have taken such a deep interest in mental health and are pleased to foster their campaign to demonstrate that every person, in every community, in every state in our nation is committed to mental health and wants to see more accurate, authentic reporting and storytelling,” said Brian Dyak, President & CEO, EIC.
All who donate to the campaign will be given a perk, or a tangible thank you, for supporting mental health awareness and education. These gifts include wearable items like lime green ribbon pins symbolic of vigorous life and flourishing health, autographed items and much more.
To learn more about EIC’s efforts, go to eiconline.org. To Speak Up for Mental Health in the Media, go to http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/speak-up-mental-health-in-the-media-student-demonstration-project.
About Entertainment Industries Council
EIC is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 by leaders within the entertainment industry to bring the power and influence of the industry to communicate about health and social issues. The organization is considered to be the chief pioneer of entertainment and journalism outreach and a premiere success story in the field of entertainment education. This mission relies on providing resource information to the creative community and culminates in recognition of the industry through the national television special PRISM Showcase which addresses accurate portrayals of substance use issues and mental health concerns. The organization also produces the SET Awards, honoring positive and non-stereotypical portrayals of science, engineering and technology.
For a complete list of health and social issues addressed by EIC and local projects, please visit First Draft and EIC’s website. EIC’s web site is http://www.eiconline.org. The PRISM Awards web site is http://www.prismawards.com. The SET Awards web site is http://www.eicsetawards.com.
Skylar Jackson, Entertainment Industries Council, http://www.eiconline.org, +1 703-481-1414, [email protected]
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