Universal Link

tossyourwishestothestars:

I just want to inspire people to change the world, and I want to teach people that it’s completely within their power to do so. Universal Link could do that, right? I tried writing up a summary of sorts detailing the aims of Universal Link, and it’s so discouraging, because I feel like Universal Link is too broad. But it’s theme is supposed to be, “Our struggles are universal, our fight should be too,”and so I want it to connect together every issue, person, organization, and country in the world, creating a network of support and a sense of unity that will ultimately inspire people to start helping each other. That’s not so bad right? I don’t know. This is the rough, unedited, and not so well written first draft of what I came up with. 

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So I saw this thing on tumblr that said, “Wear shirt that says ‘life.’ Hand out lemons on street corner,” and it gave me a fundraising idea for the organization. It could be the Turn Lemons into Lemonade Project. People can buy a lemon for each problem they have in life and donate it to us. We will then use the lemons to make lemonade and then sell said lemonade to raise money for the organization. By doing this, people will be symbolically turning the lemons life gives them into lemonade, and doing so in a way that actually generates funds which could, in turn, actually turn real ‘lemons’ people have in life to ‘lemonade’ since the funds would go towards easing their troubles. We could even have people write down what their ‘lemons’ represent on yellow, lemon shaped cards, and then we can create a board with all of them posted on there, to show some of the problems we’re trying to solve. It’s a rough idea, but an idea nonetheless. What do you guys think? 

no-time-to-ovulate asked: You have representatives at UF already? I would like to help with starting the organization here unless it has already been done

Sarah said she’d be a representative at UF, but we can always use more if you’d love to help! 

This is my 17 year old sister, Amanda. Today she’s happy, and in a healthy relationship with her boyfriend of 10 months. 2 years ago, however, she was in a relationship with an older guy who would abuse, stalk, and try to rape her. She struggled with self harm and depression because of it. This is her story. 

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Dear whoever is reading this, 

Some days, you will not be okay. Some days your struggles will strengthen to such an extent, they will become tangible manifestations able to suffocate and strangle you in your sleep, and your body will, in fear, respond with an instinctual fight or flight response and a sudden claustrophobia that will settle deep inside you bones and have you screaming for release. You’ll want to run, and maybe you will. You’ll force open doors too heavy for their frames and inhale mouthfuls of too stale night air in an attempt to calm the uneasy beating of your heart and the staggered breaths that accompany it. Maybe you’ll sit in a tree—if nature’s your thing—or huddle inside the front seat of your car—if you’re more into comfort zones, and you’ll breathe in and breathe out and breathe in and breathe out, and you’ll convince yourself that the air you’re inhaling will never be enough. You’ll fear this terrible anxiety will never pass, that this tangible pain that coils sickly in the pit of your stomach and has your blood melting through your veins will poison you to death, but it’s not true. Because as you breathe, your heart will slow, your breathing will regulate itself, and you’ll feel this terrible bout of panic begin to subside. This is because your body will realize, finally, that there is no real threat. You’re okay. You’re not in danger. Your mind may convince you that you’re reaching a point where the pain is so much, you’ll surely collapse, and for a second, your body will be tricked into believing this is true, and so it’ll respond accordingly. Soon enough, however, (unless your mind prevents it), your body will realize the truth—that you’re okay. The pain is immeasurable. It’s agonizing. It’s incapacitating, even. But it’s not deadly—not if you don’t want it to be—and you will be get through it. So next time your struggles manifest before you in a tangible pain so overwhelming, you have the urge to run away, do it. Sit in a tree, drive to the beach, huddle in the front seat of your car—do whatever it is you need to do to keep yourself from getting hurt, and then breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Keep a bottle of your mothers perfume—the one that smells like sunshine—or that teddy bear who’s protected you from the monsters since you were three in a bag you can grab in a hurry, and then use it to remember what it felt like to be happy, comfortable, safe, alive, and let those emotions become the tangible ones—the manifestations that wrap around your being and change your entire perception of how things are. And then remember, my darlings, you will be okay—and for those moments when you aren’t, I’m here. 

Love,
Chelsea.  

We now have representatives at FSU and UF, Bulliednomore really wants to help out, Maria with Straight Up Random Webzine (straightuprandom.com) agreed to help organize a benefit concert to raise money, and we received our first letter request! Thanks to everyone who has helped us with this progress so far, you’re all wonderful. :)

bulliednomore asked: I'm so excited about this Great people like you only come around once in awhile! I tried to start a non-prof but it was hard and i didn't really have a partner that i could do it with! I think this could be amazing! I've already started thinking t-shirt ideas! :-) I'm probably wayyy ahead of myself like always but I'm so glad you found me, because we could take this thing all the way! :) I would love to do this with you! ah! :D k. I'm done.

I’m glad you’re so excited! Starting a non-profit is hard, but I’ve gotten quite a few people involved, which helps a lot. My friend Vanessa and I are working on t-shirt ideas right now, but feel free to give us any suggestions. We’re going to set up a paypal account and all sorts of things like that to sell them here soon. :) 

bulliednomore asked: Oh my goodness! This would be SOOOOOOOO amazing! I would love to help run this with you if you want me to! It would be great to join forces! Do you have a Facebook or anything that we could talk more at? :)

Absolutely! I’m trying to get everyone involved that I can. The more people helping out, the bigger it’ll get. And sure. I have a facebook page specifically for the organization (facebook.com/ouruniversallink) and I have a personal facebook I can add you on, if you’d like. :)

Dear whoever is reading this, 

I don’t know what you’re going through. I don’t know the voices that echo through your mind late at night when the sun isn’t there to distract you from the darkness you can’t touch, and I don’t know the pain you hold bundled in old scar tissue and purple bruises painted with gentle hands and pale skin stretched tight against protruding bones. I don’t know the monsters that hide in your closet, or worse, the ones the hide in your mind, and I don’t know the words to the nightmarish symphonies they whisper into your heart as you try, with clenched fists and teary eyes, to force yourself to sleep. I don’t know the sting of those dark temptations, the ones ancient enough to quiet those old demons, and young enough to make you feel alive, and worse, I don’t know how to make them go away. I’m not an angel, nor a mechanic. I don’t know how to save you (if you feel that you need saved), and I don’t know how to fix you (if you feel that you are broken). I do know, however, how to care.  I know how to murmur a poem in a voice bright enough to coddle your soul in the dark,  and I know a lullaby sweet enough to sing you to sleep before the demons can even try to keep you awake. I know how to love, and more importantly, I know how to love you, and if you give me the chance, I promise I will. I’ll love you for your strength, the one that’s kept you alive among all of your weaknesses, and I’ll love you for your happiness, the one you had before the darkness swallowed it hole. I’ll love you for your potential, the one that still sits like wings upon your shoulders, tied down with a rope that can one day be broken, and I’ll love you for your beauty—the thing that shines the brightest among all the pain. I’ll love you because you’re innocent, and I’ll love you because you’re not. I’ll love you because you need to be loved—because everybody needs to be loved—and most importantly, because you love, and you need to know that that’s okay. I’ll love you because it’s the only thing I know how to do, and I need to do something.I need you to know that I’m doing something, that I’m here, that I care. Becuase I don’t know what you’re going through, and the truth is, I probably never will. But I know what it’s like to be going through something, and I know how much it hurts. So remember, my darlings, that even though I don’t know where you are or who you are or what it is that you’re going through, I’m here, and most importantly, I’m here for you. 

Love,
Chelsea.  

Thanks to all of the new followers we’ve gotten recently! We really appreciate the support. Let us know what you think of the organization, and please feel free to contribute your own ideas! We need all the help we can get. :) 

• My friend’s father is a pastor at Good Shepard United Methodist Church, and she told me she’d let people know about the organization and hang up posters if I made some, so that’s what I’m going to do tonight.
• My manager gave me the email address to Tiffany Kenney—news anchor for WPBF Channel 25—and I emailed her last night to ask if she could help me get the word out.
• I called Olivia Morris—the director of student activities and organizations, and they sent me forms to fill out so that I can set up a table and advertise there.
• I have people from the following blogs offering to help out: 
  mynameischarliebartlett
  diaryofalyingbitch  
  narglestolemylatte
  lets-watch-thiss-city-burn
  carrying-onstayingstrong
  daisychainrecovery
  yanastory
  once-upon-a-smile
  subterraneanet
• I made a facebook page for the organization. 
• My mom’s boyfriend is going to help me design a website, set up a meeting with his dad (and his dad’s board of directors) since his dad owns a business, and call a radio station he listens to every morning to let them know about it. He already got his manager to help us out, and he’s going to meet with his other bosses later on today. 
• I’m getting ready to go to the bank, and while I’m there I’m going to find out how to go about opening a bank account in the organization’s name.  
• I’m going to talk to friends I have in various colleges and see if they can get the word out around their schools. 

This will be something big. I’ll make sure of it. 

A friend of mine texted me last night and requested that I take a look at the information surrounding Michele Bachmann and the suicides in the Anoka district. She said she wants to be a part of the organization I’m trying to start, and she’d really like it if we could try to do something about it. I did some research and found out that in the last two years, 9 teens have committed suicides all in the same district, and most likely due to bullying. 4 of the deaths are said to be related to harassment due to sexual orientation because the district had such a conservative atmosphere and strict policy’s regarding such matters. It’s heartbreaking to see such beautiful kids taking their lives due to the words and actions of kids just like themselves. No one should be bullied—ever. No matter their age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, interests, problems, or anything else that one could consider defining, these people are people just like us, and they don’t deserve to suffer for anything that makes them who they are. If you or anyone else you know is being bullied, please let us know. We’d like to write to you and prove that the hostility of people is the exception rather than the norm. We’re here to help you, and we’re here to make a difference. As for the people reading this, you can help make a difference too. If you’ve struggled with bullying and would like to share your story here, or if you’d like to write a letter or make a video for all people who are being bullied, submit them here: universallink.tumblr.com/submit We’ll feature them on the website so that people everywhere can learn that they’re not alone, and that there are people who care. Also, let us know about any anti-bullying programs you’ve started or plan to start in your schools or communities. We’d love to see others trying to make a difference. Most importantly, if you or anyone you know is being bullied to the point where you’re considering suicide, please talk to someone or call the suicide hotline number at 1 800 273 8255.