Recently, I’ve been scrolling on my Instagram feed and boom I’m hit with a sudden nostalgia from 2014 when everyone was participating in the ice bucket challenge. Back then I didn’t understand the significance behind it, except for that it was funny to see my elementary principal scream when cold water was poured on him.
In order to spread awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) a campaign was created, the Ice Bucket Challenge.
This trend took the internet by storm and was created by three men who had ALS: Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn. In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge had been on everyone’s screens multiple times a day and reached over 17 million people. The campaign ended up raising $115 million to support funds for ALS research and care.
This trend would entail that a person records themselves dumping a bucket of ice water on their head. After they would record it, they would tag people to challenge/nominate to do the same and post the video on social media so it would continue.
Fast forward 11 years, the trend has come back but with a different significance now. The trend has now been brought back from students at the University of South Carolina to cover the issue of mental health awareness.
USC students created their “Speak Your MIND” Instagram account in March of this year, but has just recently launched this new, invented version of the ALS challenge. Since the trend came out, it has reached celebrities who have participated such as: Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, and Scarlett Johansson.
Social media users use the same exact format of the ALS challenge and are more than welcome to donate to the nonprofit. The only difference in this trend is using the #speakyourMIND tag.
The founder of the club, MIND (Mental Illness Needs Discussion), 21-year-old Wade Jefferson, and many others were shocked by the popularity of the trend. He only expected the trend to stay inside the campus grounds of USC.
Jefferson decided to speak out and work with Active Minds as a way to remind the public of how important mental health is, as he had lost two of his own friends to suicide.
“It’s comforting knowing that so many people are bringing attention and awareness and fundraising and bringing support to a cause like this,”- stated Wade Jefferson.
USC’s Vision is to break the stigma around mental health by promoting open conversation about mental health and raising funds for Active Minds. In hopes of empowering young adults to be advocates in order to create a supportive community.
“The world is finally healing.”