Have you heard about the It Gets Better project? Perhaps you’ve heard of it, but YouMakeMeFeelLessAlone, or YMMFLA for short, might not ring any bells. I took the the It Gets Better pledge in November 2010, so when YA author Samantha Schutz asked me if I would help her spread the word about this organization, her blog, YMMFLA, and the poetry contest she’s hosting as part of National Poetry Month, I knew I wanted to help her out immediately. Here’s why….
For those who don’t know, the ItGetsBetter project was started by Dan Savage after a series of LGBTQ teen suicides in the United States started making the headlines across the world. By contrast, YMMFLA was started by Schutz herself as a digital space where people can submit writing about mental illness and other things they struggle with on a daily basis, ranging from depression, ADHD, suicide, self harm, self image, PTSD, eating disorders, sexuality, recovery, and abuse to name just a few. Knowing that the goals of these projects are similar and since it’s National Poetry Month in the US and Canada, she wanted to spread the word about both of these organizations with a poetry contest. Makes sense to me.
How do you enter? Simply submit ONE original poem about how dealing with something like mental illness, sexuality, relationship issues, addiction, etc. GETS BETTER by email to: samanthaschutz {at} hotmail {dot} com by April 30, 2011. The subject heading MUST say “2011 Poetry Month Contest” and you must answer the following three questions:
- Do you want to have your poem posted anonymously?
- If not, then how would you like your name to be listed on YouMakeMeFeelLessAlone and SamanthSchutz.net?
- What is your age…if you want it to appear with your poem
Keep in mind as well that if your poem isn’t on topic, then it won’t be posted.
What do you get if you win? Great question, and I have an amazing, YA-book filled answer for you.
First prize:
- It Gets Better by Dan Savage
- I Don’t Want to Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz
- You Are Not Here by Samantha Schutz
- It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
- Cut by Patricia McCormick
- Talking In the Dark by Billy Merrell
Second & Third Prize:
- It Gets Better by Dan Savage
- I Don’t Want to Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz
Want to learn more? Check out all the information on Samantha Schutz’s website.
