'Shame shouldn't be a symptom,' says Mental Health Awareness Month campaign

Besides being a celebration of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. An intimate and revealing campaign from mental health advocacy nonprofit Made of Millions explores the stigma around mental health issues, particularly the shame many people feel. Not only do feelings of shame exacerbate other mental health issues, they make it harder to seek help. “Shame Shouldn’t Be A Symptom” features collage art from Ian Woods, an artist from Chicago known for working in multiple media. His compositions show the different sides and layers of four subjects: entrepreneur and Made of Millions board advisor Crystal Anderson, creative equity consultant Jezz Chung; BBDO Chief DE&I Officer Jason Rosario and OCD sufferer, advocate and Made of Millions board advisor Windsor Flynn. The campaign includes out-of-home posters in New York City, placed by Seen Outdoor. A short video traces the mental health journey of Ash Rucker, founder of Therapart, a nonprofit that promotes healing through creative expression. “I had been trying to find ways to deal with my mental health in healthy, productive ways, whether it be with my art or personal life,” Woods said in a statement. “Creating these pieces allowed me to experiment more with my work in a healthy mind-state. Hearing their stories inspired me a lot because it showed me how they dealt with their mental health struggles.” Made of Million community members also submitted testimonials detailing their mental health journeys. Vienna-based gallery Improper Walls is running an exhibition based on the campaign throughout May. Other campaign partners who will amplify the work include disability advocacy company Diversability, artist Aaron Ramey, advocate and licensed marriage and family therapist Alegra Kastens, international OCD non-profit OCD Gamechangers, Islam and mental health project Brave Mind and Stu Ralph of OCD Stories.

'Shame shouldn't be a symptom,' says Mental Health Awareness Month campaign

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