Tumblr Expands "Post It Forward" Initiative with Community-Driven Mental Health Quilt

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tumblr today announced the next phase of "Post It Forward," an initiative that launched in May 2015 to counter the stigmas around mental and emotional health through community-building and inspiring conversations. Tumblr is bringing Post It Forward to life by inviting users to participate in the creation of a Community Quilt centered on mental health awareness, through a collaboration with ThriveNYC and the First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray.

Beginning today, Tumblr users can create and submit original artistic swatches and panels to PostItForward.tumblr.com/QuiltSubmissions to be included in a quilt installation that will be on display in New York City and online at PostItForward.tumblr.com/MentalHealthQuilt. Each patch represents a creative expression around changing the conversation around mental health and an individual's relationship with mental illness, whether battling it themselves or helping others with their struggles. For every patch a user submits, Tumblr will donate $1 to one of three different charities who support mental health, up to a total aggregate donation of $20,000. The user submitting the patch will be given an option of choosing which charity – National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), The Trevor Project or The Steve Fund – their original panel will benefit.

"The overwhelmingly positive response to "Post it Forward" has been incredible to watch over the last year," said Jeff D'Onofrio, President and COO of Tumblr. "Partnering with the First Lady of New York City and ThriveNYC shows the Tumblr community and others how positive reinforcement and a strong sense of community can be a powerful way to encourage tackling mental health issues together."

In a new partnership with ThriveNYC, the city's plan to address untreated mental illness and substance misuse spearheaded by First Lady Chirlane McCray, people in the New York areas are invited to join several special events taking place across the five boroughs from Friday, October 21 through Monday, October 24. Each location will feature a visual and interactive art installation designed by Tumblr artist, Sirin Thada (sirinthada.tumblr.com), and visitors will be invited to contribute to the quilt by coloring patches on site. ThriveNYC volunteers will also be readily available to speak to members of the community and point them to mental health resources.  

"One in five New Yorkers suffers from a mental health condition in any given year, which can touch every family, directly or indirectly. Yet mental illness and substance misuse too often remain in the shadows, which encourages stigma and shame," said First Lady Chirlane McCray, who spearheads ThriveNYC, the city's comprehensive mental health plan." We must change the culture so that people feel free to speak as openly about mental health as they do about physical health, and understand that services and treatment are available. I am grateful to Tumblr for helping us have this public conversation, both online and offline, and for their incredibly generosity with this project."

Tumblr and the City of New York have commissioned work from artists around the theme of "changing the conversation around mental health" that are available as templates for quilt patches for participants. Tumblr Creatr artists include: Laurene Boglio (boglio.tumblr.com), Brian Butler (showdrawn.tumblr.com), Josh Lafayette (joshlafayette.tumblr.com) and Geo-Law (getaloadageo.tumblr.com). First Lady McCray invited three New York artists, Mohammed Fayaz, EJ Hill and Saya Woolfalk to also contribute to the project.

"The Mental Health Quilt, through a partnership with Tumblr, is a creative way to express the struggles, hopes, and successes of so many New Yorkers living with mental health issues," said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. "The First Lady has made mental health a priority in New York City, and projects like these raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with an issue that so many people are still afraid to talk about."

Launched in May 2015, Post It Forward is Tumblr's program to counter the stigmas around mental and emotional health through community-building and conversation. By creating a channel for people to share their personal stories and positive messages, Tumblr hopes to turn the community into a support tool for those that may not have one in their daily lives.

About Tumblr
Tumblr is a digital platform where millions of people access the Internet's cultural dialogue by sharing their ideas, perspectives, and passions through endless types of media. A home for creativity and expression, Tumblr fosters the formation of engaged communities, meaningful relationships, and diverse identities. The content and conversations that start on Tumblr spark culture around the world, entertaining, inspiring and informing a massive global audience. Founded in New York City in 2007, Tumblr is an independent subsidiary of Yahoo. Find Tumblr on iOS, Android, or at www.tumblr.com.

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