we are building the human case for stigma-free workplaces by humanizing
stigma with storytelling.
WE ARE REPLACING THE WALL OF STIGMA WITH A WALL OF SOLIDARITY.
share your story to help build our human case.
UPLOAD YOUR SELFIE TO OUR solidarity WALL.

Mental health stigma is keeping far too many who are suffering from reaching out for support. Hopelessness is the leading predictor of suicide. If mental health advocates stand together and collaborate, we can interweave a more inclusive story both persuasive enough to change society and powerful enough to shine a light on what the future should look like. A future of no stigma. A future with where we lose fewer precious souls far too soon. A future of mental wellness. A future of hope. A future where we all can flourish.

Step one. Let's work together to create stigma-free workplaces, rebuilt on a foundation of empathy and caring, by sharing our lived experiences. A key to ending stigma (read systemic discrimination) is to humanize it with storytelling.

Accelerating Mental Wellness is a cause-advocacy campaign launching in January 2022. In preparation, we are galvanizing mental health advocates from around the globe to show the world that we support stigma-free support workplaces through the curation and sharing of our lived-experience stories.

Given our unique lens, we can shift workplace cultures and change the workplace in ways other stakeholders simply can not. Our voices of insight, pain and suffering can influence and shape understanding on a truly deep and human level.

kerry martin
Co-Chair, United states

chief purpose officer, FOUNDER & Mental health activist, accelerating social good

Per Patrick Kennedy's insight regarding suicide, we don't need to intellectualize it, we need to humanize it. We need to do the same with mental health stigma and discrimination in the workplace.

BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

This is a rallying cry to advocates to come together. To share our selfies and our stories in a collaborative and coordinated campaign to accelerate social change on behalf of those who are suffering in silence and shame. With must step up and speak out, a calling more salient in light of the Great Resignation.

Whilst it is easy to build a business case for workplaces to integrate mental health access and programming as a benefit, let's come together to do the hard work. Let's build a human case for rebuilding our workplaces on a foundation of empathy and caring.

If you are a mental health advocate, please consider joining us and raising your voice. Let's all stand up and be heard. And together, be so loud that eventually they must not only listen but TAKE A PLEDGE to either acknowledge the importance of this initiative or take concrete steps to create a stigma-free workplace with appropriate mental health programming and supports for employees. 

If workplaces take the pledge, they will be able to download our Accelerating Mental Wellness certification logo on off our website and then they must commit to taking one of the following two steps:

1. If they meet our stated criteria for a stigma-free workplace with appropriate mental health programs and supports in place, a press release must be issued in support of this initiative, acknowledging the importance of creating supportive workplaces.
2. If they do not yet have the appropriate level of commitment, they must hire a Corporate Wellness Strategist (or the equivalent), and commit to meeting our stated criteria and staying in compliance with; and, then they must issue a press release introducing the new hire along with a plan for building a stigma-free workplace with the appropriate mental health programs and supports for their employees.

three simple Ways for you to show your support

1. Support with a Selfie and help us build our solidarity wall: Upload a headshot and stand alongside other fellow advocates and concerned citizens in support of this campaign. View our Campaign Page - Mental Health Advocates support Accelerating Mental Wellness and Accelerating Hope so We All Can Flourish. 
2. Support with a Story and help us build our human case: Upload a personal story speaking to an issue touched on by this campaign. For example, work place stigma (read discrimination) you have experienced in a previous or current workplace and how it impacted you or your life choices; how a lack of empathy and caring in your workplace has affected you; why you feel it is important for workplaces to adopt a more empathic and supportive environment, as well as mental health programming and supports, for those struggling with mental health concerns; or, what this should ideally look like, i.e., your recommended best practices based on your lived experience lens. 
3. Support with a share (after Jan go-live): ​Help us raise awareness by sharing in your social channels. After all stories are curated and social media calendar is finalized, you will be notified when to share your story and the appropriate campaign hashtags to use. You are also free to share other advocate stories along with our general campaign social content. 

personal NOTE FROM founder ABOUT WHY "selfie-ing" up

Please allow me to introduce my why, i.e., the inspiration for this campaign: Sara. We have hashtags for one another: #saraslight and #kerryshope. 

Accelerating Social Good's mission is to create a world where our children can thrive. To do so, we simply must have work settings that empower all to shine, environments wherein my precious Sara's light is allowed to illuminate as bright as possible.

It is for Sara, who is now 24, and her beautiful friends, that I dedicate much of my time to ensure this cause-advocacy campaign exceeds our expectations.

What about you? What is your WHY? Please consider joining us, speaking up and sharing your story. We are simply stronger as advocates when we stand together. And, if we are here to affect social change, this is how we can do it. If not now, when?

With gratitude and with hope. ~ Kerry Martin, Sara's Number 1 Fan, #kerryshope, saraslight 

eric kussin
Co-Chair, United states

Founder, #SameHere global

Erin Macauley
Chair, AUSTRALIA

​chief Hope officer & Mental health activist, ​accelerating social good

Natasha Tracy, Chair, Canada

​Mental health aDVOCATE, AWARD-WINNING WRITER, SPEAKER & SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT, NATASHATRACY.COM

hitesh gupta,
​CHAIR, INDIA

​Mental health activist

Leanna Lee, Campaign contributor

​FUTURE OF WORK AND WELLBEING WRITER, CO-HOST OF BETTERMENTAL

show up. stand up. speak up.
​SHOW YOUR SUPPORT WITH A SELFIE AND/OR STORY.

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MEET FELLOW ADVOCATES & concerned citizens SPEAKING UP TO ACCELERATE MENTAL WELLNESS & HOPE FOR US ALL