Hey there DoSomething members:
The unprecedented violence that broke out in Israel and Palestine this weekend is still weighing heavy on our hearts. As the situation still develops, our hearts and thoughts are with all those in the region, those elsewhere who are directly impacted by the conflict, and anyone standing in solidarity for a peaceful resolution. As we come together to recognize World Mental Health Day today, now is the time to check in on those in your circle who may be struggling with a sense of fear, overwhelmed, or anxiety in the face of this weekend’s events.
We also know that many of you may be glued to your feeds trying to keep up with what’s happening. While it’s great to stay informed, social media can also exacerbate our stress. . . According to an ExpressVPN survey, 86% of young people say social media has a direct impact on their happiness. Yikes!!!
Between checking in on your friends and taking some time for yourself, we have something that might help soothe your nerves and offer a much needed creative outlet away from technology. Our, Mind Craft has been helping over 4,500 members express themselves in a way that gives stress the boot! 👢
And we partnered up with artist and art therapist Pierra D. Brown to get the tea on how you can jumpstart your mental health journey with just a paper, pencil, and colorful markers. You may be vibin’ with Collaged Emotions or prefer to Rip it Up. Whatever you choose don’t forget it's all about self care and mental wellness - no skill involved!
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Let's Do This! DoSomething |
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Y’all are really showing up for Mind Craft. We enjoy seeing how you use creative expression for self care - like these members! |
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"Making this work of art for me was very healing. When I first started it was only a sketch practice for drawing buildings. As my emotions became more intense, specifically the feeling of burnout and loneliness, I started drawing how that felt." said DoSomething member Bee M., 18 "I usually visualize these feelings as myself slipping away in trails of smoke, slowly fading from reality around me. My loneliness also feels like I am a ghost, left to haunt my days without impacting anyone. To be honest, this feeling has never really gone away, but drawing like this helps me sort through these emotions and visualize them in order to process them. The reason I chose this artwork in particular as opposed to any of my artworks, was because it specifically addressed feelings welling up inside me. Art has always been a rather therapeutic pursuit of mine, but no other artwork I have done has directly addressed messy feelings quite like this one."
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DoSomething member Harriet B., 17 said, "I made this piece in my 10th-grade year of high school. In this period of my life, I was going through a lot. I was having panic attacks and mental breakdowns weekly. I isolated myself and I had aggressive tendencies. I knew my mental health was unstable and I needed help so I turned to art to do that. I made this piece out of plaster and cardboard, using my own face to make the mask. This sculpture represents peace and growth. Art for me is an outline of my anger and sadness. It has been saving my mental health, one doodle, one painting, and one sculpture at a time."
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Connect with your inner artist or dance your stressors away, and don’t forget to share it all by joining Mind Craft. |
Hello Wisconsin… Calling all DoSomething members in the Milwaukee area, we’re hosting a Youth Activist Lounge at the Women’s Convention on Oct. 20-22 and are providing a limited number of scholarships so some of our members can attend, no cap! Click here to apply. We hope to see you there!
Leave libraries alone!… Students and activists are working to make sure libraries are thriving with funding and safety measures amid banned books.
Forgive and forget… The Biden Administration has forgiven more student loan debt in an effort to relieve graduates of the burdens that may come with repayment, 22,000 borrowers who have permanent disability will receive forgiveness alongside others - while there’s so much more work to do to expand access, we stan any form of student debt relief!
Clapback at bullies… It’s National Bullying Prevention Month and KPBS has worked to curate a list of cool reads to help young people promote courage and support to prevent bullying.
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FastWeb College Scholarships for Hispanic & Latinx Students |
CollegeXpress Our friends at CollegeXpress wants to give YOU the opportunity to earn a $1,000 scholarship, and all you have to do is answer one question! Complete a free profile on CollegeXpress and share your response to the following: Is candy corn tasty or is it trash?
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