Stronger Than Stigma®

Gabrielle Magid is the Founder & CEO of Stronger Than Stigma®, a nonprofit established in 2013, dedicated to mental health advocacy for millennials, by millennials. 

Gabrielle is an author in national publications including The Forward and a featured speaker for organizations such as Hillel International, Rotary International, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson University, and the Duval County Public School system. Gabrielle spoke at TEDxFSCJ and her talk “The Stigma is Real” is available on YouTube. Her speech at the Keep Families Giving Foundation Summit at Google in Austin, led to their partnership on multiple projects including Giving Tuesday’s #NextGenGenerosity campaign. 
Gabrielle serves on the Community Advisory Board of WJCT (PBS/NPR affiliate station) in Jacksonville. She is an active member of Summit Series and NEXUS Global—selected for leadership on NEXUS’ Mental Health Council. She is passionate about improv comedy, studying and performing for over a decade.

1. There is a myth that asking for help reveals weakness. Humans fear being the only one, yet 25% of the world’s population struggles with its mental health. Only two-thirds of them will seek professional help—stigma is killing people. 
2.  STS seeks to eliminate stigma by creating community, giving those who struggle and their loved ones a sense of belonging and mobilizing the next generation of advocates. 
3.  There are two relevant definitions of elevate: “increase the level or amount of” and “raise or lift (something) up to a higher position”—we do this by improving people’s quality of life. It is healing to belong to a community and to face problems together, without fear of judgment, rather than ashamed and alone. Eliminating the stigma spares society the immeasurable loss of human potential faced every time someone prematurely ends their life due to the silent struggles of mental illness. 

According to WHO, 1 in 4 people face a mental health struggle at some point in their lifetime, with 450 million people currently struggling. The real number is far larger, because most will go without treatment due to stigma. In fact, two-thirds of people with known mental disorders never seek help from a mental health professional. NIMH reports that Americans aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of mental illnesses (25.8%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (22.2%) and aged 50 and older (13.8%). 
The long-held societal stigma keeps people quiet, ashamed to reach out for the support they need in times of crisis. As a result, people are dying. The overall suicide rate in the US has increased 31% since 2001. People feel alone, they aren’t familiar with the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses (because we don’t learn about them in school), and they’re unequipped with coping skills that could help them weather the storm. The whole system is broken; when people do make up their minds to get help, they face challenges including: the insurance system, abysmal access to care, lack of providers means lengthy waiting lists, and outdated treatment modalities. 

STS is all about redirecting the conversation on mental health in a way that includes listening and prioritizes social support. We gather people in person and online to feel the power of community in having a shared experience and in recognizing they are not alone. Our programming supports this mission. 
Comedy is central to our approach; whether providing relevant content online via our social media platforms, or organizing comedy benefit shows, we’ve recognized the cathartic power of comedy on both sides of the stage and the way it can unite people. We created the “Nobody’s Happy Comedy Tour™” to raise money and awareness in October 2018. 12 shows, in 6 states, over 25 days helped us spread our message out of Jacksonville, FL. We developed an improv workshop designed to teach students coping skills called “How to be a Feelings Ninja™.” We also created the first-ever mental health awareness pop-up shop called “The Living Room™” which combined the elements of an interactive art installation, a performance venue, and a living room set up (couches, etc.) all meant to inspire #realtalk amongst strangers on everything and nothing, including their mental health. 

Our movement is “for us, by us.” Our targeted demographic is the millennial generation, the founder/CEO is a millennial, the board is comprised of millennials (that works with an intergenerational advisory council). We make it a priority to collaborate with and hire millennial-run businesses, vendors, and professionals. 

We’ve designed our community in a way that welcomes not only those who struggle, but also their loved ones who are seeking to better support them. We recognize the need for a multi-pronged approach that attacks stigma from within and without. 1 out of 4 people will face a mental health issue at some point in their lifetime, but 4 out of 4 of us can fight the stigma. The onset of many of these illnesses occurs in the teenage/early adulthood years, which is a stage of life filled with transitions. Our voice is needed in this conversation.

By bringing people together and sparking the conversation, nurturing it, and giving it space to happen, we change people’s minds. We’re lessening the fear of the unknown in hopes that participants will walk away from the experience wanting more and feeling equipped to replicate these conversations in their own day-to-day lives. 

We do #2 in order to accomplish #3. Our ultimate goal is to change the perception of asking for help from a weakness to a strength. We want Gen Z and younger to say, “what stigma?” with regard to mental health; going to therapy should be considered a usual activity. We want people to be more empathetic and willing to listen to one another, unafraid to say, “I’ve been there; I get it.” We want people to be more inclined to reach out for help so that we see the stabilization and future decline of the suicide rate. 

The first time I openly discussed my mental health struggles with my peers was in a support group at college. It was such a relief to be surrounded by people who understood what I’d been through. I wanted everyone to have this cathartic experience.
In the spring of 2012, there was a suicide on campus. I didn’t know the student, but his death shook me to my core. I was angry. I felt UF had failed him—he’d fallen through the cracks. There was access to free resources, but there was also a toxic culture on campus that kept people from reaching out. As a junior in 2013, I got 3 friends together and we set out to change it. The original idea for STS was to create a campus-wide campaign that advertised the resources available on campus; I pitched it to the Dean, but the idea was rejected. I decided the subject matter was too important to let that initial “no” hold me back and moved on to incorporate STS as a nonprofit instead. We opened the original student-led chapter at UF and it’s still around today—in its 6th generation of student leadership.

My own lived experience led me to this work. Diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression as a 17 year-old, I had no one my age to turn to and feel a sense of belonging with; I felt isolated. My parents helped me get the professional help I needed, and I was told that statistically what I was experiencing was not uncommon. And yet, I didn’t know anyone else who was struggling. I wish I’d had a support system of peers who “get it.” It didn’t exist, so I decided to create it so that no one else would ever feel like they were the only one struggling in silence. Hearing about other people’s journeys inspires and motivates me and I learned that when I open up and share about my experiences, the same happens for others. Social support is a huge component to mental wellness. 

I have an educational background that lends itself to social entrepreneurship—minors in nonprofit organizational leadership and business administration, as well as a major in women’s studies, which primed me for advocacy work. (It’s an area of study dedicated to sharing the untold stories of marginalized groups.) I am also a graduate of the Jim Moran Nonprofit Executive Program. I have personal, lived experience with Anxiety/Depression and therefore, have my own need for the services we provide. This fuels my passion for the work. Also, I’m a member of the demographic I aim to serve, and I relate well to my peers. I believe that they feel my approach is non-threatening and I credit this to the years I’ve spent studying and performing improv comedy. I know my style of message delivery has been influenced as a result.  

I experienced stigma firsthand—I got the help I needed, but my family decided it was best for me not to discuss it with my peers, so I struggled in silence, thinking I was the only one who felt this way. I told myself: “if I live through this, I have to make sure no one else feels as alone as I did.” 
My founding story begins with a dead end; I pitched the original idea to the dean as a campus-wide campaign to advertise the resources available on campus, and that plan was rejected. I decided the subject matter was too important to let that initial “no” hold me back and moved on to incorporate STS as a nonprofit organization. I knew I didn’t have the background knowledge, so I attended seminars and added a nonprofit minor to my degree. Everything STS and I have accomplished in the last 7 years is the result of not letting that “no” stop me. I found another way. Instead of merely being a campus club, we took it to the next level. The student-led chapter at UF became the first branch of the nonprofit and is still in existence today. 

In 2016, shortly after graduating from UF and moving home to Jacksonville to establish STS headquarters, it became apparent that I needed a “day job” to support myself. My synagogue was searching for a Youth Director, and I fit the bill. I was familiar with the program, having been involved growing up. My predecessor had left the program in disarray and it was my job to bring the department back to life, inspire the students to take ownership of their youth groups, and recruit new members. I managed the department’s budget and established a more efficient model of supervision: I hired, trained, and managed a team of youth group advisors (other young professionals in the community) to work directly with each youth group, helping me delegate responsibilities to the point where each group was able to host even more events than if I were the sole supervisor. It also helped me provide more role models for the students. And, by employing other young professionals, I helped keep them engaged in synagogue life. Membership increased by 50% and the fun continued until I left to run STS full-time in 2018. 

Our philosophy is that if it’s been done before, then clearly it hasn’t worked. We say that because here we are, facing a silent epidemic—the global mental health crisis. We focus our efforts on a niche market: millennials—the generation that’s currently facing the transition from school to the real world. 
STS redefines the term “peer;” formerly a layperson in a similar situation (similar diagnosis, taking similar medication), we’ve narrowed its focus to include stage of life. Other organizations convene peers, but they do not factor in the generational divide and their differences in approaching this topic. 
We recognize the power of meeting people where we’re at, and because the leaders of this movement reflect the demographic we aim to serve, we are well-positioned to know how to reach our compatriots. We leverage our generation’s presence on social media and use it to our advantage—we’re able to connect with each other on a global scale.  
We also rely heavily on performance arts as a means of story-telling, understanding the power of gathering people who’ve had similar lived experiences to share a moment in time and feel the power of knowing they’re not alone. 
And lastly, our programs themselves are cutting-edge. We created the first-ever pop up shop around mental health awareness. The uniqueness of the concept and the sense of urgency stirred by the limited run of a pop-up makes it impactful and culturally relevant—it demands attention, just like the subject matter. 

I believe that the most important conversations we have about mental health are either 1:1 with the people we trust most, but due to the stigma, (if they’re happening) they’re taking place in quiet/intimate settings like a living room. We’ve created space for the public and are inviting people in to engage with us and work towards the goal of changing society’s view of mental health. We’ve applied the concept to strangers—by bringing people together and sparking the conversation, nurturing it, and giving it space to happen…we change people’s minds. We’re proving these conversations are not as scary as they may seem. We’re lessening fear of the unknown in hopes that participants will walk away equipped to replicate these conversations in their own day-to-day lives. That’s how we break the stigma. If we can give even one person a life-affirming experience, then they carry it with them and become more vocal and able to support someone else in need. They become part of the movement and spread the feeling with those they encounter. Thinking large scale, the goal of our work would be to touch everyone we encounter, empowering them to continue fighting their own personal battles and work with us fighting the stigma.

Awareness campaigns will only go so far. And without the resources to back them up/ send people to after they self-identify, they’re reckless and representative of 20th century thinking. It’s time for 21st century thinking. We need an “everyone’s an influencer” mentality—everyday people sharing their own journeys, encouraging their own circles to reach out. Yes, celebrities sharing and making us feel like “they’re just like us!” is great, but enough of them have shared to prove that point. If we each focus on saving 1 life, we shrink the problem and empower people to feel like they really can make a difference. When problems seem too large, we turn off the TV and stay in our own bubble. People do not leave their comfort zone without good reason. We have to make the reason personal. That’s what motivates people to care. 

Prior to COVID, we operated physically in the Jacksonville community and the campus community at UF. At The Living Room™ (TLR) in May 2019, 1500 people walked through our doors. The UF chapter nurtures relationships with about 50 active members. In 2020, we pivoted from organizing in-person events to instead producing online events via Zoom and FB Live. In May 2020, we hosted a 31-day virtual event marathon in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, producing 49 events that were free and accessible to people globally— 1,100 people attended in real-time on Zoom, the videos have 15K+ views, and we reached 50K via our online channels. Our current totals: 4,241 likes on Facebook, 1,258 followers on Instagram, 174 followers on Twitter. 

It’s hard to know what the world will look like post-COVID/when that will be. We hope to replicate TLR in other cities, so I would anticipate a minimum of 1,500 guests throughout the course of the month, acknowledging that Jacksonville is a small market comparatively. If we pop up in 3 cities per year for the next 5 years, that would be a minimum of 22,500 people impacted, in addition to a growing online community (I would hope our community would grow to at least 10K active members). Based on pure estimation I think we have the potential to meaningfully impact about 32,000 people in the next 5 years. 

Our goal is to change public perception around mental health and reaching out for help. We’re trying to make caring for one’s mental health a more social experience, and if nothing else, a less isolating one. People need spaces where they feel comfortable letting their guard down and people to surround themselves with that they feel won’t judge them. The uniqueness of the concept and the sense of urgency stirred by the limited run of a pop-up makes it impactful and culturally relevant—it demands attention, just like the subject matter. 

TLR has a proven track record in Jacksonville, FL; we believe it is a model that can be replicated in other cities, bringing us closer to our goals of growth and scale nationwide. 
We postponed our plans to update the experience for second run in Jacksonville in 2020, building on momentum from last year and solidifying our hometown base. We also plan to move towards creating a permanent space in Jacksonville. TLR added value to our local community in a way we didn’t anticipate, and our idea of what our headquarters looks like is evolving. 
We also plan to enter the tech space, developing a web-based app to get people talking about their own mental health and connecting. This has been a goal of mine for years now, with finances being the major obstacle. 
And, it’s a personal goal of mine to set TLR up at SXSW sometime in the next 5 years.

The biggest obstacles to the success of this project are ones associated with not having the organizational infrastructure to support its growth. STS currently has only one full-time employee, and two part-time. Our largest barrier is financial. We need capital to continue to develop programming and attract retain top talent on a full-time basis. I also recognize my limitations—I’ve never scaled a local, grassroots nonprofit to a global powerhouse before; I need mentors who have previously scaled. Another financial barrier that is top-of-mind for me is the need to become self-sustaining and less reliant on donations. I understand that this is the traditional nonprofit business model, but I don’t think it is the most effective. I need guidance on how to proceed and succeed moving forward. We also have a barrier when it come to cutting through the noise of the others in the field; I am collaborative by nature and feel that our “competitors” are necessary because they don’t do what we do and others seem to be benefitting, but at the same time I know that if we had a better PR strategy we’d capture more of the market share with our more innovative approach. Lastly, I will need to hire outside web development consultants, and I know that to be a big undertaking.  

In terms of tackling the financial barriers, I am working to revamp our business model. I am hoping to develop our web-app as a more integrated and/or external funding mechanism, rather than having all of our revenue generating activities embedded in the org. I am seeking corporate partners and sponsorship. And, I want to cultivate a new donor base in our demographic. Ideally, I want to see millennials becoming our donors and sustainers.  I am also applying for grants, prizes, and awards such as the Elevate Prize, hoping that this will help us with finances as well as positioning us within the right network to find the right mentors to help me scale the project. When it comes to PR, I am constantly looking to find a publicist to add to our board of directors and ask for pro bono advice. 

We work closely with the veteran community. They have a vested interest in mental health due to the number of veterans returning home from service with PTSD, depression, and other mental illnesses and the alarming statistics about their suicide rate. The Mission Continues lent hours of volunteer time and effort helping us pull off The Living Room™. 

We also work with Baptist Health a large hospital system in Jacksonville. They have sponsored our events and include us in their mental health brain trust meetings. 
I consult for the Mentemia in New Zealand, lending the millennial perspective to their mental wellness app (co-founded by Sir John Kirwan). 
I work with the Duval County Public School System in an advisory role, helping shape their mental health awareness month programming for the last 3 years and teaching our “How to be a Feelings Ninja™” workshop to their high schools in attendance. 
I was recently selected for leadership within NEXUS Global, serving on their newly formed Mental Health Council.
I work alongside The Keep Families Giving Foundation in Austin, TX. STS is a grant recipient, I’ve served as a speaker for many of their programs, I’m a member of their strategic impact cohorts, and STS and I are one of the community partners in their #NextGenGenerosity campaign in conjunction with Giving Tuesday. 

Right now, our business model is the standard nonprofit business model. We work to find donors, sponsors, and grants to underwrite our programming, allowing us to eliminate cost barriers and provide access to the general public. 

At TLR, we had open hours in the space where anyone could wander in and experience the installations, but at night when we used it as a performance, we charged a nominal ticket fee which we then split with the performers. Because many of our friends are in the entertainment industry, we know that you cannot pay your artists in exposure; they need to be compensated. 
There is currently a difference between our funders and our end-users. Our key supporters have personal mental health experiences within their families and therefore, a vested interest in our success. 
I recognize that developing a more nuanced and sustainable business model is an area that needs attention, if I want to see the kind of growth I dream of and the kind of impact I dream of making.  

We prioritize maintaining and continuing the personal relationships we have with our current donors and the foundations who have previously funded us. We also are always on the lookout for new potential funders. I am working to transition our emphasis on grassroots funding to the millennial generation; there is a common misconception that philanthropy is reserved for our elders, when in reality a giving mindset starts now and our peers need to be encouraged to start their philanthropic journeys now. We want to have millions of donors at the $5-20 level, repeatedly (in addition to the funders who provide more substantial lump-sum gifts). 

We are also looking to create more package-able services, including creating and touring with a presentation to help high school students/parents prepare for the transition to college, it will include our very successful “How to be a Feeling Ninja™” workshop.
Lastly, as previously mentioned, I am exploring the possibility of developing our web-app as a separate venture to fund the nonprofit. 

We have received grants from the Delores Barr Weaver Fund and Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida. We also received a donation from HBO in 2018. In 2020, we've been the recipients of grants from The Keep Families Giving Foundation and FIS. We do a lot of peer-to-peer fundraising online and have also received gifts from a few donor-advised funds from supporters, including The Current/Sherman group of Merrill Lynch. 

This is very difficult to predict in the ever-changing landscape of the coronavirus, but my best guess is about $75K. Our biggest expense is salaries for our 3 employees: $72K, plus FICA and employment taxes. We pay a CPA, we have a monthly subscription to Quickbooks, we underwrite the cost of postage when mailing T-shirts and thank you notes, and we have to pay renewal fees to the state of FL to maintain our nonprofit status and license to solicit contributions. 

The Elevate Prize would give us the resources to grow. As of now, we are making an impact in Jacksonville, FL and at UF in Gainesville, FL. My dream is to expand beyond Northeast Florida; I have global aspirations and need financial help to scale. We have multiple scalable models in our arsenal. TLR, the Nobody’s Happy Comedy Tour™, and “How to be a Feelings Ninja™”  are all scalable models with track records of success in creating grassroots impact in a local community. With the prize, we’d have the capacity to strengthen the infrastructure that would support our efforts. I also am excited by the prospect of your network and the level of mentorship it could provide. We are at our tipping point and ready to scale—we have creative, fresh ideas, we just need the right partner to invest in the success. 

I have no doubt in my ability to stumble around and figure it out on my own—that’s how I’ve made it this far and that’s how STS has accomplished so much with so little—running on passion and fumes. I am committed to us scaling and we’ll get there eventually, but I want to do it faster, impact more people, and quit wasting time reinventing the wheel. I am humbly admitting that I don’t have all the answers and am searching for someone who can help fill in the blanks. TOGETHER we can defeat this stigma. 

The beauty of having an all-millennial leadership team is that we know which products and services are must-haves. 

I want to work with HBO and/or Netflix, especially around TLR. When you think of a traditional living room, you think of people gathered around a TV, creating a sense of community and having a shared experience around their content. What if we join forces and magnify the impact that this same exact space represents? They look self-aware and they’d be on the forefront of the changing tide around mental health. The long-anticipated arrival of the HBO streaming service is happening now; it would be mutually beneficial to target millennials together. We are the generation of "Netflix and chill," so STS would be the perfect partner in helping them reach our demographic and convince them to migrate (or in the case of Netflix, stay). 
I’d like to partner with Spotify. Anywhere there's musical intent, there's Spotify, leading the way and providing that service. I would venture to say that millennials and younger are Spotify's largest demographic of frequent users. Spotify has become the soundtrack to our lives. Further, mental health is ubiquitous--every human with a brain has mental health to maintain and care for. Music soothes the soul and has been tied to lessening anxiety and helping people cope with mental health issues, including depression. Together, we'd make a HUGE impact reaching millennials where they're at. We'll be uniting the universe through music and reminding them they're not alone.