I Am That Girl is hosting the Mental Health Is No Joke campaign

I Am That Girl is a new club to Utah Stat University that started fall semester 2014. Sheree Haggan, the Multicultural Program Coordinator in the Access and Diversity Center, brought this organization’s new chapter to USU. Haggan and her committee for mental health awareness are hosting a new event on March 31 through April 1, called Mental Health Is No Joke. According to Haggan the committee hopes host this event annually.

“What we do, in I Am That Girl, is we bring girls together, we unify them, we strengthen them and then we set them up for success,” Haggan said. “Our mission statement is that we are a community, a support system, a movement inspiring girls to be loved and express who they are.”

Alexis Jones is a co-founder of the I Am That Girl organization and will be at Utah State University on March 31. She will be attending the “Mental Health is No Joke” campaign and will be the keynote speaker.

“What does it mean to be that girl? It means to be the best version of yourself,” Jones said.

According to Haggan, the organization is fundraising to create two $500 scholarships to give out each semester to students who proactively host an event to raise mental health awareness.

“We are almost done fundraising,” Haggan said. “Last I checked we were really close to our goal of $1,500. Our goal is to start an endowment to have money saved up for future I Am That Girl mental health scholarships. We will be announcing and dedicating the scholarships the night that Alexis Jones speaks.”

Once students are awarded the scholarships they will sit on the planning committee for the annual Mental Health Is No Joke event series.

“I think what they are doing is great,” said McKenna Phipps, who helped spread the word of the fundraiser. “I know some may see it as just another scholarship, but I do believe that creating awareness of mental health is an important thing. The best part of it is the students awarded the scholarships will be on a committee for the series. I like this because they, in a way, pay the scholarship back.”

I Am That Girl does other events, such as self defense classes, open mic night fundraisers at Pizza Pie Cafe and make blankets for partnering organizations like CAPSA, or Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse.

“I encourage people to come,” Haggan said. “Everybody has some influence on how a girl is treated. Come out, show support and be a part of change on campus.”