1 in 5 college students are impacted by mental health conditions. Listening can be one of the most powerful ways to support someone who is facing mental health challenges.

This is the message of the I Will Listen Campaign, a mental health awareness initiative that kicks-off its 4th annual event on college campuses across Baltimore on October 6th. NAMI Metro Baltimore will partner with 12 local colleges and universities for this year’s campaign, and more than 50 programs and events are planned.

I Will Listen events include open mic nights, wellness activities and fitness classes, and film screenings and discussion. Each campus will also host a NAMI In Our Own Voice presentation, giving students the opportunity to listen to first-hand stories of recovery. All of the events and programs will encourage students to start open and honest conversations about mental health with their friends, classmates, and others on campus.

At each event, students will receive information about mental health resources on campus and in the community. The overall goal of the I Will Listen Campaign is to help students reach out for mental health support when they need it.

I Will Listen was created by NAMI New York City in 2013 as a campaign encouraging listening with an open mind, and without judgement, at school, in the workplace, and in the community. NAMI Metro Baltimore activated the campaign locally in 2016. In 2018, the campaign reached more than 2,300 students, faculty, and staff on 9 college campuses. This year, MICA, Towson University, and Baltimore City Community College join the campaign bringing this important anti-stigma initiative to 12 area campuses.

NAMI Metro Baltimore invites you to follow along with all of the I Will Listen Campaign activities. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates throughout the campaign.

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