In honor of International Women’s Day, last year Crisis Text Line released a list – Inspirational Women of 2022 – of women who have advocated for mental health in their communities and nationwide.

Simone Biles – With 25 World Championship medals, she is the most decorated gymnast in the history of the Gymnastics World Championships and widely regarded as the best female gymnast of all time. When she missed a week of the Tokyo Olympic games, she drew worldwide attention to mental health. Biles credits Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the 2021 French Open due to depression and anxiety, as inspiration in helping normalize mental health.

Dr. Brene Brown – A professor at the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work, Dr. Brown is widely known for her studies on leadership, vulnerability, and shame. She is the author of six New York Times bestsellers, and her 2010 viral TEDx Talk – one of the top five most-viewed TED talks – highlighted the power of vulnerability.

Dr. Courtney Cogburn – A professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, she “directs a research group that uses innovative means to characterize and measure racism and evaluate its effects on mental and physical health.”

Dr. Angela Duckworth – A psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, she is noted for her research on grit, the passion and perseverance for long-term goals. The nonprofit she founded, Character Lab, whose mission is to “advance the science and practice of character development.”

Selena Gomez – A singer, actress and producer, Gomez has been outspoken about her  treatment for lupus, which triggered various mental health challenges including anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. A mental health advocate, she has been open about living with bipolar disorder.

Hannah Lucas – A 17-year old co-founder of the app, NotOK, a platform for those who need immediate mental health support, Lucas has received the National Alliance on Mental Illness Georgia’s Young Leader Award and the National Black History Blacks in Tech Award.

Dr. Rachel Levine – The 17th Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Levine is also a pediatrician known for promoting physical and mental health. She has drawn attention to the mental health crisis among LGBTQ youth, noting that political discourse is linked to debilitating mental health for trans and queer youth.

Sha’Carri Richardson – A 100- and 200-meter sprinter and one of the fastest women of all time, Richardson has spoken openly about her mental health challenges in high school.

Carmela Wallace – The mother of Jarad Anthony Higgins (Juice WRLD), a rapper and songwriter who struggled with prescription drug dependency, Wallace has become a public speaker for the importance of mental health in the Black community. She is also co-founded Live Free 999 in her son’s honor, which offers programs to address mental health challenges and substance dependency.

Read the full article at Crisis Text Line.

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