A dA Project

One of my personal heroes is a man named Jamie Tworkowski. He's an inspiration to people everywhere, but writers especially because he wrote a story that started a movement. The story and the movement are called To Write Love On Her Arms. November 13th is TWLOHA day. Anyone who supports the organization (or the idea of it) should write the word 'love' on his or her arm and take a picture of it.

You can note your pictures to me and I'll feature them in a news article. In the meantime, read a little bit about the organization below and have a look at the TWLOHA-inspired art featured below.

A Brief History

One of Jamie's friends, Renee, suffered from addiction and depression. She was seventeen and had been abused sexually and mentally for most of her life. She was a self-mutilator, a coke addict, and lost. Jamie and a small group of Renee's close friends helped her through de-toxification from the drugs and alcohol in her system so she could be checked into rehab. They also sold t-shirts to help raise money for the bill and for her life after rehab. Renee has been drug free for many years. She wrote a book about her experience called "Purpose for the Pain" that details her experiences before, during, and after rehab.

On their way to the rehab center, Jamie asked Renee if he could write her story. She consented and he ended up posting the story on Myspace. My favorite line from it involves Jamie asking Renee what she would tell people who read the story. She said, "Tell them to look up...Tell them to remember the stars." (Read the entire story HERE.)

The outpouring of support for Renee from the Myspace community and from people Jamie talked to in his area gave him inspiration to start an organization dedicated to helping people in crisis mode find the resources to pull their lives together again. It would involve education, conversation, music, and hope. It would break the stigmas surrounding mental illness and abuse, and it would act as a bridge between the people who need help and the people who offer help.

To Write Love On Her Arms started in Spring 2006. Since then the group has expanded rapidly. They've visited many countries outside the U.S., including India, Japan, Australia, and England. They have an intern program that's been highly successful based out of Florida and they've partnered with organizations like RAINN and 1-800-SUICIDE (Hope International) to bring awareness to the public about mental illness, how it affects its victims, and they ways it is treated.

Honoring Jamie

In 2008, TWLOHA won the Myspace Impact Award which granted the organization a large cash sum to expand its reach. Now, Jamie Tworkowski, the author of the story and founder of the organization, is nominated for a Woodie Award from MTV. He's listed with several generous and socially conscious celebrities, and all of them deserve the award for their acts, but Jamie is unique in that his organization is entirely grassroots. He saw the need of a single woman and acted to help fill it. From that single act, millions of people have come to support each other in a community of hope, understanding, and knowledge.

I hope you'll take the time to read about the award, about the nominees, and vote for who you think most deserves this honor.

TWLOHA-Inspired Art