Active Minds at Carolina is a service and advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness for and combating stigma against mental health issues on campus and in the community. Founded in 2010 by Kristen Stefureac, a UNC student who lost her mother to suicide, Active Minds is an officially recognized student organization of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Eric's family sought to raise awareness about the issue of suicide and mental health and thus, a chapter was established at our university. In honor of Eric's life and the lives of the 1,100 students who are lost to suicide every year, our organization seeks to bring attention to mental health issues through awareness events, service projects, and other activities involving the campus community. Some of our events include Send Silence Packing, National Day Without Stigma, National Depression Awareness Week, Self-Care Week, Cranium Care Carnival, as well as discussion panels, movie nights, and collaborative performances with UNC a cappella, spoken word groups, and other on-campus events to highlight the importance of mental health issues. We are a peer group under the umbrella of Counseling and Wellness services of Campus Health at our university. As such, Active Minds members receive training to be effective allies and advocates for students on campus who wish to learn more or seek services for mental-health related issues. Our goal is to foster a class of mindful and dedicated students who are committed to a world where individuals can seek help for mental health issues without fear of stigma or lack of access. We hope to achieve this goal through dialogue between students, staff, and community members, as well as through the various events we host each year. Please join us as a university community united against stigma. It is now time to change the conversation about mental health. Let us speak out against the stigma and !
