On the top floor of DellPlain Hall, sketchbooks, Oreos, pickles and a friendly resident adviser are sprawled across the lounge. Laughter and smiling residents in the hall outside create a welcoming environment.

As a part of that environment, RA Kara Sheplock, a senior food studies major, said she strives to end stigmas placed on mental illness. It is Sheplock’s goal to initiate a campaign that will raise awareness for society’s stigmas and how to approach conversation about mental illness by the end of March.

Sheplock, who said she struggles with depression and anxiety herself, wanted to take her love of caring for others to the next level. Everything she does stems from understanding mentality and health because it is the root of the human experience.

Sheplock also said if the human being is classified as being homogeneous, and each person is the product of sperm and an egg, then we should be the same. But, comparing humans to pizza, she added that even though each slice is made with the same ingredients, each piece is still different.

“We’re all colorful pizza,” Sheplock said. “Let’s slice the stigma.”

Sheplock said she plans to create a visual campaign incorporating video inspired by Robert X. Fogarty’s “Dear World” campaign, which showcases thousands of people who have written their fears and losses on their skin to share their stories. Sheplock will table in DellPlain and hold dialogues that all students can attend.

She said she hopes this campaign will reach as many people as possible and welcomes all to participate, which reflects the mentality she’s had in her two years as an RA.

The whole point of being an RA — making connections with people — is challenged by the idea that RAs are “dorm cops,” Sheplock said. She said she believes the key to improving social connections is initiating conversation and education.

Whether that means reading an article or attending a lecture, any attempt to educate oneself on the matter has a great impact, Sheplock said.

“Race, ethnicity, gender — it started off like mental illness did where it was more taboo,” Sheplock said. “There’s got to be something we can do. It’s okay to talk about this.”

Published on March 7, 2016 at 12:01 am

Contact: ghhughes@syr.edu