Thank you for your interest in writing a World Mental Health Day guest blog post for Channel Kindness!

Who we are: Channel Kindness is a digital platform launched by Born This Way Foundation to highlight young people creating a kinder and braver world and empowered by storytelling. Through the power of storytelling, we aim to counterbalance the negative narratives that dominate the media about young people, and instead highlight how they are a passionate, collaborative, and diverse generation. With Channel Kindness, we aim to inspire our audience to spread kindness, encourage acceptance, and elevate the stories of good that happen in our communities each day.

What type of content we’re looking for: We love first-person essays with an aspirational tone. For World Mental Health Day, we’re specifically looking for hopeful or uplifting stories that focus on the importance of wellness. Check out the ideas below to get you started!

• Our research shows that people who live in kinder communities have improved mental health. In what ways has kindness shaped your mental health?
• What organization, nonprofit, or person has helped you improve your mental health?
• What are your favorite ways to practice taking care of your mental health?
• In what ways can you help a loved one who is struggling with their mental health?
• Create a listicle for us! What are your favorite books, songs, or movies that shed light on mental health?

Please review the following guidelines for a guest blog post:

• Articles should be 400 to 800 words in length. Special exception will be given to pieces in which the extra length is considered necessary and purposeful to the overall piece.
• Include a short title, a one-sentence description of your piece, and a draft Tweet + Facebook post that could be used to promote your story.  
• Cite all sources, using links within your article when relevant.
• If writing about individuals other than yourself, please seek and provide us their permission to mention them in your story.
• Please adhere to these best practices when discussing mental health (if relevant).  
• Attach a minimum of one relevant photo with attribution to accompany your piece.  Please make sure permission is granted from the photographer and everyone that appears in the photo before use. Photos should be in a 4:3 ratio, 1024 x 768 pixels.
• Include a picture of yourself and a short bio.

Please avoid:

• Profanity
• Negative comments, hate speech, or discrimination of any kind
• Political statements or attacks on any public figures

Please email your post, picture(s), and any questions you may have to Editor and Program Associate Aysha Mahmood at cksubmissions@bornthisway.foundation.

Channel Kindness reserves the right to edit posts to ensure they are within the guest post guidelines. We also reserve the right to edit the post as needed for style, content, length, etc. By submitting a post to us, you are affirming that the content is original to you, the author, and has not appeared elsewhere online or in print. We reserve the right to modify, reproduce and distribute your material in any medium (now or hereafter existing) and in any manner or appropriate place.

Upon publication, your story will be told on ChannelKindness.org, across the Foundation’s social channels, and by a diverse network of partners. 

We look forward to hearing from you!