Amy Mays

The Happy Crew

We are members of Happy Crew and our mission is to destigmatize mental health issues by creating community and sharing the message, "YOU MATTER, YOU BELONG", especially among our peers. We must remain diligent in our campaign because depression, anxiety, and suicide are major issues for our friends – Colorado ranks sixth in the nation for most teen deaths by suicide. Too many of our peers face a daily struggle to talk about their mental health and we crusade to end the stigma and increase positive options for those facing mental health issues. Every Monday night, we gather together for dinner, discussion, learning, and community. Happy Crew provides a welcoming, safe, inclusive, helpful, fun, heart-warming, positive, happy, caring, loving, passionate, free-speaking, hopeful, wholesome, fulfilling, joyful (and that's just the beginning!) environment every week and we love our time together. During our group discussion, we strategize about ways to reach out and help friends and fellow students. We brainstorm about how to spread powerful messages that assure: "YOU MATTER, YOU BELONG". We concentrate on being involved in making it socially acceptable to be vulnerable and share when you are dealing with anxiety, depression, fear, sadness or suicidal thoughts. We deepen our compassion and value our "no judgement zone". Here, it is safe to talk about heavy issues and find relief for stress. We are free to share feelings and "get stuff off our chest". We are being equipped to make a difference and have a positive influence on our community. WE NEED YOU! We cannot win this fight alone, we need you to partner with us to destigmatize mental health issues and help teens find belonging and community.