What is the Yellow Tulip Project?
The Yellow Tulip project aims to smash the stigma that surrounds mental illness and to build a community of people who realize that hope happens when youth and the community can work together. Their goal is to make mental illness just as normal as any physical illness and they are very dedicated to make this a reality. Here is the website for the Yellow Tulip Project and a short video explaining what they do and what the youth of America can do.
There are many ways for students or anyone to get involved! They want young adults to not feel ashamed or feel like they are suffering alone when discussing or handling mental health. The Yellow Tulip Project uses something called a Hope Garden to instill hope and happiness. Hope Gardens bring a community together to collectively smash the stigma associated with mental illness. After a long winter, tulips remind us of determination and the renewal of spring. Here at UW-Whitewater you are able to get involved in this project by joining the Active Minds student organization. They have opened up the conversation about mental health to know that students should not feel ashamed and should feel cared for regarding their mental health. They are here to help and end the stigma. In October of 2020, the Active Minds organization planted Hope Gardens with a total of 3,000 tulips and they are now partnering with WSG (Whitewater Student Government) to create their own version of the I Am More program of facing the stigma of mental health. From the I Am More website, “together we can normalize mental health, therapy, medication, self-care, and help seeking. Warhawks deserve to feel safe, loved, supported, and heard.
If you or someone you know is interested in getting involved to end the stigma use these social media resources below:
Active Minds
✤ Instagram: @activemindsuww
✤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActiveMindsUWW
Yellow Tulip Project
✤ Whitewater YTP Instagram: @ytp_whitewater
✤ YTP Instagram: @theyellowtulipproject
✤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theyellowtulipproject
Whitewater Student Government
✤ Instagram: @uwwwsg
✤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uwwWSG
Strive for progress not perfection!
Kayla Withrow