John —
We are so excited to kick off Pride Month by introducing you to our new friend. Meet imi (eye-me), a free, research-backed, mental health web app developed by Hopelab in partnership with the It Gets Better Project, CenterLink, and hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth. It's a tool for LGBTQ+ teens, by LGBTQ+ teens and their allies to help LGBTQ+ young people explore their identity and support their mental health.
News headlines have been overwhelming in recent months, particularly with anti LGBTQ+ attacks and legislation sweeping the country. Prioritizing mental health is important, which is what makes resources like imi so vital.
imi helps LGBTQ+ youth explore and affirm their identity and learn practical approaches to cope with sexual and gender minority stress in ways that are supportive, relevant, inclusive, and joyful. The web app provides affirming resources, activities, and stories of lived experiences from LGBTQ+ youth on important topics like stress, LGBTQ+ identity, internalized stigma, and gender identity and expression.
“Even in a best-case scenario, when a young queer person has access to a supportive community, there are still obstacles they face in finding the resources they need to inform their gender and sexual development,” Brian Wenke, Executive Director of the It Gets Better Project, said in a statement supporting the release of imi. “We hope that imi can help fill this knowledge gap with an experience that encourages LGBTQ+ teens to explore who they are without fear of judgment or persecution. The It Gets Better Project proudly endorses any platform that has the potential to support and affirm a young queer person as they pursue and embrace their greatest potential. We believe imi can play an important role in that journey.”
Several of the It Gets Better Project's Youth Voices were among the hundreds of LGBTQ+ teens to test imi and offer feedback — you'll even see some of their voices throughout the app.
Happy Pride Month!
- It Gets Better Project
The It Gets Better Project is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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