In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, music industry veteran, author, and the founder of Silence the Shame, Shanti Das, hosted a Text-A-Thon in Atlanta to raise awareness about mental health. Silence the Shame was created to end the stigma and to remove the shame that is attached to mental health. This year’s National Silence the Shame Day consisted of a Text-A-Thon designed to raise awareness by encouraging others to donate, advocate, and to spark conversations about mental health.
Silence the Shame’s board chair, Jewell Gooding, explained the nonprofit’s purpose: “Silence the Shame is a movement to help individuals stand up and talk about their mental health and wellness. We want more people to stand up, and seek help when they are experiencing mental illness. Silence the Shame is sponsored by the Hip-Hop Professional Foundation and we continue to reach out across the state, as well as the nation in order to increase more people to talk about mental illness,” she says.
Das’ father and best friend both committed suicide, and Das contemplated taking pills at one point in her life, so advocating for mental health is personal for her. “We’re helping communities all around the world. We received a proclamation from the city of Atlanta, and also the city of Baltimore so it’s National Silence the Shame Day all around the world. This is just the beginning. Hopefully, we can change lives, we can help lives, and erase the stigma around mental health,” Das said.
Over $14K was raised by the end of the event with an overall goal of raising $25K by the end of the month.
If you are interested in donating to help create programs and to increase resources for mental health, donate by texting SILENCE to 707070 throughout the month of May. All donations made are tax deductible.
You can also keep up with Das on Instagram @shantidas404.
Check out some event photos below:
