NYAPRS Note: The following includes excerpts from a statement that is due to be released later today.
Extraordinary news comes to us from Doris Schwartz, COO of the MHA of Westchester and a NYAPRS Board member, who launched a national campaign to urge fashion designer Kenneth Cole to take down a billboard on New York City’s West Side Highway that appeared to link violence with people with mental health conditions. The billboard read “Over 40M Americans suffer from mental illness. Some can access care…All can access guns.”
The advocates’ campaign to remove the billboard – and replace it with a positive message about individuals with mental health conditions – went viral, with articles on CNN, NBC, and in other publications, and support by mainstream organizations including the American Psychiatric Association.
A short time ago, Doris received the following email from Mr. Cole’s representative: “Thank you for your feedback and your voicemail yesterday. We stand by the need for gun law reform in addition to obtaining more resources for those who struggle with mental illness. In hindsight, we were overly ambitious with our attempt to address two complex issues in a medium designed for brevity, and regret any confusion it has caused.”
It was our collective effort that effected this change,” Doris said a short time ago. In particular, she credited advocates with mental health conditions and/or diagnoses from across the country for coming together overnight to win this successful campaign.
Look for the official news release within the hour.
On the heels of last month’s inspiring Destination Dignity Washington march, today’s successful campaign puts that message and struggle into inspiring action. Congratulations to every one of you who joined your voices and your passionate determination to send a message to companies and organizations, advertisers and the media that we will no longer tolerate stigmatizing and discriminatory characterizations of our community.