May 20, 2021 —Oakland, CA— To address a global mental health crisis in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the continued struggle of systemic racism, the MTV Entertainment Group and more than 800 organizations, brands, government agencies and cultural leaders have signed on to be part of the inaugural Mental Health Action Day on Thursday, May 20 during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Peer Health Exchange has released selfsea, an inclusive health app for young people, in time for this historic day. “We know we need more discussions and resources about mental health and other topics that aren’t really talked about,” said Wendy Marroquin, a high school sophomore and member of Peer Health Exchange’s Youth Design Group, who also came up with the idea for the name of the app. “selfsea allows for that, a place where young people like me can have access to resources they need that are important.”
“When the pandemic started, BIPOC young people told us they needed us to show up for them in new spaces—not only in schools—but also in a digital community. selfsea is our newest and most innovative offering of support— one that centers them and their experiences,” said Angela Glymph, VP of Programs and Strategic Learning.
Cultural, business, non-profit, and philanthropic leaders are among the new partners who are committed to encourage and empower their followers, fans, and constituents to take action on their mental health.
“We are proud to support several organizations who are serving as partners for Mental Health Action Day,” said Kinkini Banerjee from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. “We believe in centering the voices of BIPOC youth in pursuing the solutions that best fit their needs.”
MTV is putting this effort front and center in an open-source movement to shift culture from awareness to action on mental health. They have added more than 600 partners since the announcement one month ago. “This purpose-driven and diverse group of cross-sector partners will shift our culture from awareness to action on mental health -- and the timing couldn’t be more spot-on,” said Erika Soto Lamb, Vice President of Social Impact Strategy at MTV Entertainment Group. “No matter who you are, we want you to hear the urgent call for mental health action on Thursday, May 20 -- for yourself, for your loved ones or for your community.”
New partners since initial announcement are here and a full list of partners is available here.
Mental Health Action Day is being planned with the support of TaskForce, a cultural organizing agency that builds capacity for those taking on the most pressing challenges facing our communities, our nation and our world. More on Mental Health Action Day can be found at MentalHealthIsHealth.us or you can follow along at #MentalHealthAction.
About Mental Health Action Day
Mental Health Action Day is an open-source movement of brands, organizations, government agencies, and cultural leaders to drive culture from mental health awareness to mental health action. The first Mental Health Action Day will take place on May 20, 2021 with a mission to encourage and empower people to take their first actions on mental health -- whether for themselves, for their loved ones or for their communities, because mental health is health. Learn more at MentalHealthIsHealth.us
About Peer Health Exchange
Peer Health Exchange’s mission is to build healthier communities with young people. Together, we create education opportunities for peers to share the tools and resources young people need to make healthy decisions. To learn more visit www.peerhealthexchange.org.
