Planting Tulips and Reducing Stigma
The Emerson Health Mental Health Working Group in Concord continues to collaborate with local organizations to plant Hope Gardens inspired by the mission of the Yellow Tulip Project. Tulips were planted in public spaces in Maynard, Acton, Boxborough, Concord, Bedford, Westford, and Littleton. When the spring flowers bloom, community members will gather to reaffirm their commitment to reducing stigma and encouraging conversation about mental health.
The Emerson Mental Health Working Group, of which NAMI Central Middlesex is a member, offered this opening paragraph for participants to read at the fall planting sessions:
“We’re gathered today around a Hope Garden. With this effort of bringing the community to together to put our hands in the soil, place the bulbs, wait patiently for growth, and tend the blooms, we recognize the effort it takes to live with a mental condition. By speaking frankly about mental health, we break down the stigma that holds people back from seeking support. When the community comes together and talks about mental health, hope blooms. These yellow tulips are a sign of our commitment to reducing stigma.”