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- February 22, 2023
Backline is Backing Up Artists and Their Mental Health
Backline, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing musical professionals with mental health resources, teamed up with Jojo Simmons to officially establish the Break The Barriers and its corresponding Pledge Campaign on Jan. 23. These campaigns are a step in progress to eradicating the stigmas surrounding mental health, especially those surrounding BIPOC folk.
Break The Barriers gives music professionals and their families a hand by lending resources such as therapy to encourage them to take that first step to committing to their mental health. The salient message that Backline is sending with Break The Barriers is that they are working to dismantle the deeply historical and systemic stigmas and restrictions on mental health.
To make this possible, Backline partnered with organizations with the same dedication and passion to mental health as they do. Some of these organizations include: Black Mental Health Alliance, Femme, Latinx Therapy, Silence the Shame, and more. With the help of diverse organizations that delve into different intersections of life and mental health, Break The Barriers proves to encourage artists to seek out mental health help and take the next step through Break The Barriers Pledge.
Jojo Simmons, the cofounder of 3isFor and artist from the reality show Growing Up Hip Hop, has also joined the mission of destigmatizing mental health. Simmons hosts the weekly Instagram lives for Backline’s #MentalHealthMondays. This series fosters a space for vulnerable conversations surrounding mental health in the music industry.
“I want to lend my voice and platform to influence and encourage my community, followers, and extended network to get involved.”
Jojo Simmons
Within its first month of work, Break The Barriers is proving to be successful. Music label, Guin Records has implemented its “Mental Health Day Policy” in which they support their employees’ needs as it pertains to recovering and recentering themselves. Break The Barriers and its Pledge Campaign continue to make an impact as more than twenty five companies have agreed to sign on.
To learn more about the benefit of prioritizing mental health check out this video from Backline!
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