Those close to me know how much I love Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is the co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation, something she also started with her mom, Cynthia Germanotta in 2012. So when I found out I was the winner of the foundation’s #Someone2Turn2 contest which resulted in a call with her mom, the foundation’s president, I was more than thrilled. I had already participated in their campaign and even added their frame to my profile picture, but I entered the contest on a whim.
The foundation was created by Gaga and her mother to work with young people to “build kinder communities and improve mental health resources.” You can imagine my excitement in getting to talk to Cynthia. On Thursday. November 15, I received a call from Cynthia and Rachel from the foundation. I told Cynthia how much admiration I had for her and all her work in mental health. I also told her how much I respect her daughter for making the difference that she is.
“We do our work because of her (Gaga),” said Cynthia. “Because of her passion around reducing the stigma really. That’s one reason #Someone2Turn2 came about. She really believes that we all need to get ahead of a potential issue in our lives and identity somebody we can and will be comfortable talking with, when and if the time comes. She talks a lot about having a mental health team, just like you know who your medical doctor is, she really believes that we should know who that person is who we turn to. That’s part of the motivation for why we started the campaign and the other was to start making conversations around mental health more normal.”
Cynthia and I talked briefly about the weather, our family, and The Standing Strong Blog. If Cynthia, Stefani, or anyone from the foundation is reading this, I hope you continue to do the work that you are doing and continue to inspire.
Be sure to visit the Born This Way Foundation for more and to enter their next big contest; a trip to Vegas to see Lady Gaga!
the Standing Strong blog 