The Directing Change Program and Film Contest was launched as a demonstration initiative as part of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement funded by the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. The program was created by and has been implemented since 2013 by Your Social Marketer, Inc. As of December 20, 2017 the Directing Change Program and Film Contest is a nonprofit organization. For more information visit: www.directingchange.org.
The film produced by HD Production Inc and submitted by the Healthy RC Youth leaders is called “Los Hombres No Lloran” and is shedding light on mental health awareness for the entire community.
A boy in a boxing match tells the struggles of being a man in the latin culture where sharing feelings and showing signs of weakness are not allowed. He realizes it is ok to take off his gloves to be brave and show vulnerability.
Un joven en una pelea de box habla sobre la presión de ser hombre en la cultura latino. Ser hombre significa no enseñar las emociones y ser débil no está permitido. Se da cuenta que es hora de quitarse los guantes, ser valiente y demostrar vulnerabilidad.
“Los Hombres No Lloran” (“Men Don’t Cry”) video was created by Healthy RC Youth Leaders to address the stigma of showing your true emotions and to break the cycle of toxic masculinity that prevents people from asking for help and being vulnerable. This stigma exists in every culture, not just the Latino culture. Lead actor Michael Alonso shared, “This hits home personally and I know I am not the only person who has felt this way”. Youth Leaders decided to break these gender stereotypes through this video and create encouraging messaging for anyone experiencing mental health challenges to ask for help and call the Suicide Prevention Life Line 1-800-273-8255. This film will be used to expand the Healthy RC Your Mind Matters mental health campaign for the community. Youth Leaders are excited to see if their film gets state-wide recognition in the Directing Change Film Competition and Program in the Through The Lens Category. For more information, visit healthyrc.com