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Finding support systems within your community has never been easy and among musicians this has been a well-known fact yet progress is slow. Cognoscente of that, Catherine Stagliano created the organization Stronger in Harmony. This initiative plans to first reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health issues. As a sophomore at Drexel Cat was tasked with a research project with free reign to pick any topic she wanted. From that assignment she brought an issue close to her heart and decided to be a part of the solution.
With a mission statement aiming to “Educate the younger generation about the mental health crisis in the entertainment industry by increasing awareness and helping those who may already be struggling” half the battle is to provide tools to support once that positive dialogue has begun. On a larger scale Cat hoped to create chapters for each state in the future and celebrate a worldwide community of people who share the same beliefs.
“For years, I’ve witnessed people in the entertainment industry suffering from mental health issues and no one stopped to pay attention.”
As the organization grows, Cat has a long list of things she’d like to accomplish. At the top is hosting events at least once per quarter then slowly transitioning into once per month. These will be facilitated as wellness workshops; panel discussions and more as additional resources are made available. There will be other aspects of this organization to raise money for those already struggling. The community will be able to highlight their members through concerts, art exhibits, and film festivals that raise money to reinvest into these artists. The donations will go towards a fund that artists will be able to apply to for assistance.
As someone who battles with anxiety and depression herself, Cat wants to ensure that the music industry doesn’t keep losing talented individuals because of these mental health problems. Handling many musician’s careers as an artist manager creates added pressure to her life not uncommon to many other professionals.
“I worry that many people fight this silent battle and that eventually our industry will cease to exist solely because of the lack of support systems and available resources.”
Stronger in Harmony is meant to bring together everyone who struggles and prove to them that others feel the same way and care about each other. Keeping the conversation taboo only creates a stigma encouraging society to continue to “deal with it” The members of Stronger in Harmony will be creating a safer and happier industry for generations to come.
Stay updated with them @strongerinharmony
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