Yesterday, the world highlighted the importance of giving with the widely-celebrated Giving Tuesday. In honor of this international celebration of the importance of community and awareness, the social movement-turned-nonprofit organization To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) has launched #into17, a new month-long campaign for the month of December.
For those of you not familiar with TWLOHA, it started a decade ago in 2006 with founder Jamie Tworkowski, who simply wanted to share his friend Renee Yohe’s story of her struggle with addiction, depression, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts. Her original story was posted to MySpace, to open up a conversation and make these important topics regarding mental health less taboo. They began to sell t-shirts with the slogan on them to financially aid Renee’s treatment. But they had no choice but to expand and, in 2007, TWLOHA became an official nonprofit.
Now, years later, you know who they are. You have seen “TWLOHA” and “Love” written in sharpie – and perhaps even tattooed – on the arms of thousands. You have encountered a street team or two set up at your local Warped Tour and other big events, selling t-shirts, temp tattoos, and other merchandise to raise awareness for those struggling with depression and other mental illnesses. It’s become a worldwide phenomenon, and it all started with a simple, mindful sentence.
Now TWLOHA wants to move into the new year with a fresh start, but a start that will begin pre-2017. During the entire month of December, they’re raising funds to be able to continue to do the work they have done over the past decade. Because a grassroots movement – somehow – invested $1.8 million into treatment and recovery, and still found time to respond to over 200,000 individual messages from around the world in support of mental health. And now they need our help, so we can join them in this very important journey to recovery for millions.
So if you have the means, check out the campaign. Read more on the overall message of TWLOHA. Become aware, and help the cause – and the music world at large – break down the preconceived notions of mental health issues. Help us start a conversation, and directly impact the lives of many.
