Project Semicolon

Project Semicolon was founded by Amy Bleuel in 2013, as a tribute to her father, who died by suicide in 2003.{{cite web |url=http://www.projectsemicolon.org/our-founder.html |title=Project Semicolon — Our Founder |website=projectsemicolon.org |accessdate=October 18, 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013065515/http://www.projectsemicolon.org/our-founder.html |archivedate=October 13, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}

Amy Bleuel lived in Wisconsin. After her parents divorced, Bleuel chose to live with her father and his second wife at the age of six. Since then, Bleuel endured being physically abused by her stepmother. At the age of eight, she was taken into state custody by a child protective service. Bleuel began self-harming and attempting to kill herself after she had been sexually abused at the age of 10,{{cite news|url=http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/64916/20160627/interview-with-amy-bleuel-founder-of-project-semicolon-and-how-to-fight-depression-addiction-suicide-and-self-injury.htm#closepopup |title=Interview with Amy Bleuel, Founder of Project Semicolon, and How to Fight Depression, Addiction, Suicide, and Self-Injury |author=Rollins, Mark |work=The Gospel Herald |date=June 27, 2016 |accessdate=October 18, 2016}} and raped at 13. At the age of 18, Bleuel's father died from suicide, and she was subsequently released from the system.{{cite web|url=http://www.projectsemicolon.org/blog/why-god-why-my-testimony-a-story-of-hope-in-the-midst-of-despair |title=Why Me God? Why My Testimony? - A Story of Hope in The Midst of Despair |website=projectsemicolon.org |accessdate=October 18, 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918053731/http://www.projectsemicolon.org/blog/why-god-why-my-testimony-a-story-of-hope-in-the-midst-of-despair|archivedate=September 18, 2015}} In her early years in college, Bleuel was raped twice and suffered a miscarriage. Bleuel suffered from alcoholism at the age of 30 and had five major suicide attempts.

She married David Bleuel on June 21, 2014.{{Cite web |title=Obituary for Amy Elizabeth Bleuel at Pfotenhauer Family Funeral Home - Howard-Suamico |url=https://www.pfotenhauerfuneralhome.com/obituary/5200428?lud=1BA90B9FB2D1E6B69A9AD76CCC0EEBB3 |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=www.pfotenhauerfuneralhome.com |language=en}}

Bleuel died on March 23, 2017, aged 31; the cause of death was suicide.{{Cite web |date=2017-03-31 |title=Project Semicolon Founder Amy Bleuel Dies at 31 |url=https://psychcentral.com/blog/project-semicolon-founder-amy-bleuel-dies-at-31 |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Psych Central |language=en}}{{cite news|last1=Blair|first1=Nolan|title=Project Semicolon founder dies|url=http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Project-Semicolon-founder-dies-417648033.html|accessdate=April 3, 2017|publisher=WBAY-TV|date=March 30, 2017}}

{{see also|Suicide in the United States}}

Project Semicolon defines itself as "dedicated to presenting hope and love for those who are struggling with mental illness, suicide, addiction and self-injury", and "exists to encourage, love and inspire". While they are devoted to achieving lower suicide rates in the U.S. and worldwide, they do not themselves practice psychiatry, and the staff are not trained mental health professionals. Rather, the group recommends contacting emergency hotlines (e.g. 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) or seeking mental health professionals.{{cite web |url=http://www.projectsemicolon.org/our-history.html |title=Project Semicolon — Our History |website=projectsemicolon.org |accessdate=October 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209215238/http://www.projectsemicolon.org/our-history.html |archive-date=December 9, 2016 |url-status=dead }} The movement is inclusive for people holding different beliefs or religions.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/07/project-semicolon-tattoos_n_7745358.html |title=Global Semicolon Tattoo Trend Is A Sign Of Strength Among Faithful Individuals Dealing With Mental Health Problems |author=Steyer, Carly |work=HuffPost |date=July 7, 2015 |accessdate=October 18, 2016}}

File:ProjectSemicolonTrinitarianTattoo.jpg context, God the Holy Spirit]]

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Project Semicolon explains that "a semicolon is used when an author could've chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life".

The movement became prominent in early July 2015. People have started uploading photos of their own semicolon tattoos through social media to support the movement, gaining attention from a variety of mainstream news outlets.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/people-all-over-the-world-are-getting-semicolon-tattoos-to-draw-attention-to-mental-health-10365313.html |title=People all over the world are getting semicolon tattoos to draw attention to mental health |author=Bolton, Doug |work=The Independent |date=July 4, 2015 |accessdate=October 19, 2016}}

Amy Bleuel remarked on the initial outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, crisis hotlines having reported a major uptick, that "There's valid fear, and fear drives suicide. Also, sadness drives suicide. So these people are feeling this, and it's at an overwhelming extent that they're choosing to go that route."{{cite web|url=http://wbay.com/2016/11/10/presidential-politics-leading-some-to-seek-mental-health-help/|title=Presidential politics leading some to seek mental health help|first=Emily|last=Matesic|date=November 10, 2016|work=wbay.com|accessdate=November 16, 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112163135/http://wbay.com/2016/11/10/presidential-politics-leading-some-to-seek-mental-health-help/|archivedate=November 12, 2016}}

A book titled Project Semicolon: Your Story Isn't Over was released on September 5, 2017. Published by HarperCollins, it is a compilation of stories and photos shared within Project Semicolon's online community.{{cite web|title=Project Semicolon's verified Facebook page|url=https://www.facebook.com/projectsemicolon/posts/1599362303410775:0|publisher=Facebook|date=February 14, 2017|accessdate=February 18, 2017}}

To commemorate the 2017 premiere of 13 Reasons Why, a suicide-themed Netflix drama series, co-executive producer Selena Gomez and cast members Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman received semicolon tattoos on their wrists.{{cite news|last1=Desantis|first1=Rachel|title=13 Reasons Why cast gets semicolon tattoos to symbolize suicide prevention|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/13-reasons-cast-suicide-prevention-semicolon-tattoos-article-1.3039361|accessdate=April 12, 2017|work=New York Daily News|date=April 10, 2017}}

There is a nonprofit organization inspired by Project Semicolon called The IGY6; Foundation. It was created by combat veterans{{cite web|url=https://www.theigy6foundation.org/about-our-founders|title=About Us|website=The IGY6; Foundation|access-date=January 30, 2020}} to support veterans and first responders, and advocate for suicide prevention and awareness. Like Project Semicolon, it uses identifying tattoos: the phrase "IGY6" is used (meaning "I Got Your 6", or "I Got Your Back"), as well as a semicolon (coming from Project Semicolon, sometimes in the color teal to symbolize PTSD awareness), and occasionally the number 22 (representing a statistic that an average of 22 United States military veterans die by suicide every day).{{cite web|url=https://www.tattooseo.com/igy6-tattoo-meaning/|title=IGY6 Tattoo Meaning|website=tattooseo.com|date=April 13, 2018 }}

{{reflist}}

• [https://projectsemicolon.com/ Official Website]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9cSdAvUk4s Project Semicolon Youtube]

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Category:Mental health support groups

Category:Mental health organizations based in Wisconsin

Category:Suicide prevention

Category:2013 establishments in Wisconsin

Category:Organizations established in 2013

Category:Companies based in Green Bay, Wisconsin