Mama Bears
Get Things Done.
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in violence, natural disasters, and political unrest. It can seem like our world is falling apart, and we feel powerless to stop it. As caregivers (and all women), we want to protect our children from all the hurt and pain out there. But we can’t keep them in a bubble. The way to make our communities and schools stronger is to face these challenges together.
The "Mama Bear" campaign is brought to you by I’m Changing the Narrative to honor moms and women in the month of March for Women's History Month. This campaign was born out of a group of moms that rallied and raised funds for I’m Changing the Narrative’s mental health training in Jonesboro Arkansas.
Our children are struggling, and we shouldn’t ignore it.
Too often, mental health is seen as a taboo topic. We are afraid to talk about it, and we don’t want to admit that our children might be struggling. But by ignoring the issue, we are only making things worse.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among adolescents aged 12-17 years in 2018-2019 reporting on the past year:
15.1% had a major depressive episode.
36.7% had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
18.8% seriously considered attempting suicide.
15.7% made a suicide plan.
Jonesboro Moms Advocate for Mental Health Resources in their Schools
In an age where drug use and disrespect are glorified in our music, filters make you look “perfect,” porn is at your fingertips, everything you do and say is put on social media for all to see/judge, and keyboard warriors are always happy to bully anyone and everyone, our youth have so much pressure put on them and they need tools to rise above the negative choices/experiences they could be facing.
Watch this Video to learn how a group of moms in Jonesboro advocated for mental health resources in their schools.
A group of moms in Jonesboro, Arkansas saw these problems and worked together to bring Rachel Baribeau in to speak to all students in their high school. They recognized that the students of Jonesboro are the future of their community, and as such, it was important to invest in them at an early age so they can learn positive coping strategies that will protect their mental health and make them more resilient.
Download the MAMA BEAR TOOLKIT to Discover the Steps the Jonesboro Moms Took
Rally in your community to raise funds and awareness for mental health training and resources. The month of March and beyond, we will be running social media posts to include interviews, videos and graphics to help you make a case for mental health resources and training in your community.
In this 20 page guide you will learn:
Why the moms in Jonesboro wanted Rachel to speak to the entire student body.
The process they went through to get this mental health program approved.
How your community can raise for a mental health program, even if you don’t have a foundation (like Jonesboro has) to grant the money.
How to build your parent committee.
The reaction parents, counselors, and students have after Rachel’s presentation.
What to say to administrators and counselors as you convince them of the need for this program.
Mama Bear, are you ready to change the narrative on mental health in your community? Watch the video, download the toolkit, and contact us if you need more information, or would like to bring us to your school, community, city!