October 1 to 7 is Mental Health Awareness Week: New grassroots Instagram initiative @health_esteem activates college campuses, getting students to pay mental wellness forward

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As Mental Health Awareness Week begins, the Instagram initiative @health_esteem was launched by the New York–based creative engagement agency The Bloc for I Am Acceptance, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote mental health and empower students to take control of their "mental wellness." The focal point of the organization is their "I Am Acceptance College Tour," which initiates conversations with students on the topic of mental health in order to educate and empower them to seek support. The I Am Acceptance philosophy is that everyone deserves to be heard, understood, respected, and accepted.

The @health_esteem Instagram initiative was launched across the country during the back-to-school season. The objective is to hack social media, which can sometimes lead to low self-esteem, to instead build health and self-esteem. The goal is to ignite a movement among college students to pay mental wellness forward.

"I'm on a mission to build acceptance across college campuses. @health_esteem has the potential to virtually ignite and connect students that would leverage the benefits (positives) of social media. We want to give college students an authentic and empowering platform in which to express themselves that will help students lift each other up when they're feeling down,"
says CEO and founder of I Am Acceptance Hakeem Rahim.

The "health esteem" grassroots social initiative was launched on Instagram through their  College Acceptance Ambassadors. @health_esteem is a social platform where college students can express themselves freely and feel heard and accepted. They can post their truths that other students can relate to. And they can help build health esteem by liking, commenting, tagging, sharing, and connecting with others to spread mental wellness. The initiative will be ongoing, with the intent to activate a community of students around the country to drive self-acceptance and, ultimately, acceptance of others.

"This transition period is a fragile time in one's life. There's nothing more important than building self-esteem and self-acceptance among teenagers and young adults. We wanted to help raise awareness and destigmatize mental health in a way that was organic to college students, be where they are, and provide a platform for them to be their authentic selves," says Partner and Chief Creative Officer of The Bloc Elizabeth Elfenbein.

About I Am Acceptance: I Am Acceptance is a not-for-profit company that promotes positive mental wellness in the lives of college students. Their goal is to raise awareness around mental health and to break the stigma associated with it. For more information, visit www.iamacceptance.org.

About The Bloc: The Bloc is a leading health creative engagement agency based in New York. Founded in 2000 by Susan Miller Viray and Rico Viray, The Bloc is also a founding member of The BlocPartners, the strongest global network of leading independent health creative agencies.

For more information, visit www.thebloc.com.

Contact:
The Bloc
32 Old Slip
New York, NY 10005
212-524-6200
[email protected]

SOURCE The Bloc