It is not enough to spread awareness of mental health resources online.
According to the City of New York’s mental health data dashboard, one in five New Yorkers experiences mental illness in a given year. What’s worse, lack of access to mental health care disproportionately affects communities of color –– this is compounded by language barriers (English may not be their first or dominant language), stigma, and the tendency to not view mental health care as preventive.
Since Epicenter NYC’s launch at the height of the Covid pandemic, we have strived to center communities of color and engage hard-to-reach communities using a combination of journalism, art and community connection through multiple formats and languages. To bypass the hindrances that impede access to mental health care resources and drive awareness to such, Epicenter featured a series of stories that highlight expert and creative sources of care, from psychotherapists, members of the Asian American Federation mental health directory, to a kids-only spa that creates a safe space for children to a henna artist, who leverages the power of the paste to promote body positivity and mental health while building community — all centering people of color.
We focused on bettering illness and, equally important, on the joy and beauty of community.
We center communities of color year round and as part of how we inform, engage and uplift, Epicenter NYC wanted to elevate critical conversations and scenarios, resources and spaces, meeting people where they are, in the languages they prefer and via channels they trust.
While we can’t compete with the media budgets of major brands or millions of followers from the likes of influencers on TikTok or Instagram, we definitely win by getting in front of our communities with critical resources and information through trusted partners and leaders in their own right, in these very communities, in real life, in their neighborhoods, and in the languages they speak.
How we executed:
Reporting - Epicenter did a series of stories including:
Further, the Epicenter team wanted to ensure that beyond digital and in a city like the Big Apple where the primary language may not be English, we were engaging in culturally relevant ways.
Partnerships
Amplification
Our formats spanned audio via our podcast, flyers in different languages, in-person touchpoints including at food pantries and resource distributions, social media amplification via Epicenter and community leaders, and editorial coverage featuring experts.
Since respectfully, the results vs. other entrants are seldom apples to apples, we want to highlight the critical and diversified touchpoints we created.
Our coverage and engagement addressed the importance of seeking culturally competent care and how to reduce the stigma around mental health issues in our communities, spotlighted issues children face with bullying and the need to have age-appropriate safe spaces and the healing power of art for patients, who for example, are suffering the effects of chemotherapy or left with scars from an accident. Our reporting spanned newsletters, podcast episodes, a YouTube mental health segment and in-person engagement.
By the numbers
