Smash The Stigma
Hope Happens
Hope Happens
Smash The Stigma
Hope Happens
Smash The Stigma
We are the Yellow Tulip Project —
smashing the stigma around
mental illness — one tulip at a time.
We are tired
of the stigma.
Aren't You?
Take
Action
Our Ambassadors
Become an Ambassador!
Whether you’re a young person, educator or commumity member, our Ambassadors are the glue to our movement and ARE the change! Through various outreach activities, they tirelessly engage with their schools and communities to spread YTP’s mission of smashing the stigma surrounding mental health.
Featured Press
NYT: When the Biggest Student Mental Health Advocates Are the Students
New York Times Feature: With the number of adolescents struggling with mental health rising, student-led clubs have come to provide support amid a dearth of resources.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Tulips bloomed nationwide this spring—powerful symbols of hope, resilience, and smashing the stigma. Every Hope Garden helped spark connection and conversation.
Submit a photo and your location here to be added to our interactive map. Want to mark your garden? Email Lisa at lisa@theyellowtulipproject.org.
Ambassador Spotlight: Theo Burkhardt
In honor of Men’s Mental Health Awareness, we are humbled to share the brave and deeply honest story of Youth Ambassador Theo Burkhardt. Through raw vulnerability and powerful reflection, Theo reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there is hope worth holding onto—and reasons to stay for tomorrow.
STORYTELLING ALCHEMY
Take the course. join the bureau.
create real change in your community.
Join YTP’s league of Storytellers–and join an impactful legacy of activism, empowerment and mental health stigma smashing. To book one of our trained Youth Storytellers to speak at your next school or community event, click below:
Transform
your story
into gold
We want everyone to know that hope actually does happen. We do this through outreach and advocacy work, and by coming together as a community to talk about mental illness in the same way that we talk about any physical illness.
To join our momentum, click below!
Join Us
Press + Testimonials
“The Yellow Tulip Project is dedicated to smashing the stigma around mental illness and their youth ambassadors shared some tips for easing travel anxiety with us.”
“All of us suffer, so it’s important to recognize that we all are a piece of this giant puzzle, and to show up and care for others.”
“You see how people in our school have bonded over the subject of mental health since planting Hope Gardens, and how it’s become a more comfortable topic in our school.”
I have been to dozens of art openings and shows, and I have to tell you that “I Am More” was the best and most important one we’ve ever had. Each speaker’s words touched me and I’d be surprised if they didn’t do the same for most people there.
Several students have already confided in me the personal importance of the Exhibit’s opening night, including an undecided advisee who yesterday told me he is now leaning toward a Psychology major, inspired in part by the Exhibit and discussions with his therapist.
I was so moved by the photographs–so simply hung, yet so poignant. The personalization of each portrait spoke volumes, just people trying to live their best lives and making a difference for others by telling their simple stories. It was amazing!
“The project’s meteoritic success is due to its youth-led campaigns, and the safe spaces YTP cultivates to discuss and dismantle the stigma about mental health.”
“I am so proud of the work we are doing and am so honored to work alongside such inspiring, passionate and determined young people who are eager to make a difference in this wild, wacky world. Life is hard and painful and exhausting but life is simultaneously beautiful and vast and interesting and kind and filled with light and love.”
“Each garden is going to have bulbs, and they’ll come up in the spring to show our solidarity against mental health.”
“On the I Am More Exhibit: It was so wonderful milling around, hearing all the wonderful, positive comments. I heard a man on his phone saying,’You have to get down here, this is amazing’ People talked to me, too, about their stories and how they could easily be the one on the wall. Folks were excited, moved, and connected.”
“I think getting people together to talk about it is like Alcoholics Anonymous, where people get together and speak about their problem. They understand they’re not alone in this and understand that others are with them.”
“Mental health wasn’t something that was talked about at home or school. The Yellow Tulip Project has made me feel safe, they have made me realize that what I am going through and the way I am feeling is normal and is ok.”
“People don’t want to talk about mental illness because it’s scary, and people don’t have the language, there’s so much stigma out there, but we’re trying to normalize that.”
