Toolkit | We Rise

Welcome to the We Rise toolkit. In 2018 the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health began the Why We Rise campaign to transform the mental health care system, capitalizing on the collective activism of young people and recognition that mental health is a civil right. We Rise was a multi-day, immersive activation in DTLA to kick off the campaign. This toolkit is meant as a guide for others nationwide to recreate their own versions of We Rise.

What IS WE RISE

WE RISE is a movement of young people and their allies that seeks to help remove barriers to mental health treatment and to transform the mental health care system. Created by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH), WE RISE is a 10-day event that activates youth ages 14 – 24 around mental health through performances, visual art, conversations and hands on workshops, transforming talk about mental health into action.

WE RISE launched in 2018 as a catalyst to unite communities through powerful artistic expression, engagement through activities and empowering conversation—and served as the centerpiece of the Why We Rise Campaign, a paid media campaign using artistic expression to launch conversations about mental health and well-being as a civil right.

The inaugural series of events included an immersive art exhibit focused on mental health topics, a rally, poetry and dance performances, town hall-style teen talks, topical panel discussions and art-based workshops.

An ongoing social media campaign continues the conversation to boost awareness around mental health issues and advocacy. WE RISE 2019 is being held in Los Angeles from May 18th-27th.

Why WE RISE?

An estimated 46.6 million adults in the United States live with a mental illness.¹ More than 11 million have a serious mental illness (SMI).² Yet, fewer than half of those with any mental health condition receive care services, including less than a third of Latinos, Black/African-Americans and Asians, only 34% of men and 38% of young adults 18 - 25.³

The Campaign and WE RISE event are specifically aimed at engaging and educating youth. This is a particularly crucial age, as SMI frequently begin to manifest in the teen years.⁴

WE RISE aims to design a space where young people feel fully validated, can normalize conversations about all aspects of mental health, access community resources and be empowered to support each other.

Prevalence of Any Mental Illness, by Race/Ethnic Group1

National Institute of Mental Health, Past Year Prevalence of Any Mental Illness Among U.S. Adults (2017). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml#part_154785. Accessed April 7, 2019.
National Institute of Mental Health, Past Year Prevalence of Serious Mental Illness Among U.S. Adults (2017). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml#part_154788. Accessed April 7, 2019.
National Institute of Mental Health, Mental Health Services – Any Mental Illness. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml#part_154787. Accessed April 7, 2019.
National Institute of Mental Health, “The Teen Brain: 6 Things to Know.” https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-6-things-to-know/teenbrain6thingstoknow-508_153233.pdf, 2019.

Impact of WE RISE

The creators of the Why We Rise Campaign and WE RISE event engaged the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization, to evaluate the program. They found that 90 percent of participants reported being eager to support those experiencing mental illness, as well as confident in fostering their own wellbeing. There was a direct correlation between positive responses to questions and the length of interaction with WE RISE (one hour or more).

Engagement with WE RISE also led people to demonstrate greater agency toward their and others’ mental health:

Two-thirds of participants felt confident that they knew how to seek help for a mental health problem and that they had the power to change how communities deal with mental health issues.
Nearly three-quarters of attendees said they now plan to help break down barriers that prevent people with mental health challenges from getting treatment.

WE RISE was designed both as a live event and a social media generator, with thousands of visually-engaging posts made by youth attendees, plus professionally captured media posted by the Campaign—all amplified by attendees and social influencers. This “digital event” had an enormous reach beyond those attending in person, reaching 22 percent of all LA County youth. (The RAND research measured significant positive impacts among those who only engaged through social media and by interacting with online content.)