Contact Meena Dayak, meenad@thenationalcouncil.org or 301.602.8474

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PARTNERS WITH LADY GAGA TO BRING MOVEMENT TO THE STREETS WITH HER FOUNDATION’S BORN BRAVE BUS TOUR

The Born This Way Foundation’s interactive tailgate experience to follow Lady Gaga’s U.S. tour mid-January through March 2013

Washington, DC (December 21, 2012) – The Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) announced yesterday that it will launch the Born Brave Bus Tour, which will join Lady Gaga on the road for the U.S. leg of her Born This Way Ball tour. The pre-concert “tailgate” will provide a space for young people, ages 13-25, to gather and celebrate their individuality in a safe arena where everyone is encouraged to be the person they were born to be. The Born Brave Bus Tour will allow youth to get more deeply involved in the Born This Way Foundation movement while also connecting them with local resources in their communities in an effort to inspire bravery and promote self-acceptance. Guests will join like-minded peers as they enjoy food, music by Lady Starlight, and fun, interactive activities.

For the tour, BTWF has joined forces with several distinguished frontline partners at a national and local level including Campus Pride, GLSEN, Hive & YOUMedia, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Council for Behavioral Health, MENTOR, Mentoring USA, The Trevor Project and YSA (Youth Service America). Each organization will have an on-site presence, offering visitors access to resources available in their communities including behavioral and mental health services, school psychologists, mentoring, volunteer opportunities and bullying and suicide prevention resources. Guests to the Born Brave Bus will also have the opportunity to learn new digital media skills and to participate in research supported by BTWF.        

“Now more than ever, our kids need access to support within their communities, including mental health services,” said Cynthia Germanotta, BTWF President and Co-Founder. “By connecting youth to these local resources, we hope to plant the seeds that will help them deal with today’s challenges and inspire them to continue exercising their strength and bravery well after the Born Brave Bus leaves town. We are incredibly grateful to our partners for helping to make the Born Brave Bus Tour a reality. To have this many reputable, national organizations come together at a local level is revolutionary.”

With Viacom as its lead media partner, the foundation has also partnered with the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and The Berkman Center at Harvard to explore the best ways to reach youth and create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment.

Connie Yowell, MacArthur’s Director of Education, said, “MacArthur's support for the Born This Way Foundation will help create opportunities for more youth to engage in learning that is relevant to their lives and prepares them for success in school, the workplace, and their communities. But for this to happen, teens must first feel safe and have access to information and resources to provide for their health and well-being, and the Born Brave Bus Tour will seed opportunities to do so across the country.” 

"The Born Brave Bus is highlighting the importance of youth service organizations around the country for a celebration of bravery and self-acceptance,” said Dr. Bob Ross, CEO and President of The California Endowment. “Add in a tailgate with music and food to make it cool, Lady Gaga is redefining bravery to mean it’s okay to have fun but also seek out services for anything from behavioral health challenges to safety issues in a youth person’s local community.”

Philippe Dauman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom, said, “We are proud to stand among the worthy organizations that have come together for the Born Brave Bus Tour. In the spirit of Viacommunity, we are engaging our partners to connect with youth where they live, through on-the-ground activities to deepen our collective impact.”

The first stop of the Born Brave Bus Tour will be January 14th in Tacoma, Washington. For additional U.S. tour dates, please visit http://www.ladygaga.com/bornthiswayball/. Before and after the bus’ arrival, head to the BTWF website for area-specific updates and later this month, youth will be able to pre-register for the Born Brave Bus experience in their area online at www.bornthiswayfoundation.org.

To donate to the BTWF movement, please visit www.bornthiswayfoundation.org. Donations will go toward empowering young people, and addressing the issues of self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development. Together we will change our culture, and create a braver and kinder world.

About The National Council for Behavioral Health
The National Council for Behavioral Health is the nation's leading mental health and addiction organization representing 2,000 organizations across the US that serve some of the most vulnerable  adults and children with mental illness and addiction disorders. The National Council coordinates the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program across the US that has taught approximately 80,000 Americans how to recognize and response appropriately to people in need. In 2013 MHFA will focus on outreach to those who work with youth.

About The Born This Way Foundation
Led by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta, Born This Way Foundation was founded in 2011 to foster a more accepting society. The Foundation is dedicated to creating a safe community where individuality is celebrated by connecting youth with the skills, resources and opportunities they need to build a braver, kinder world.  BTWF, a non-profit charitable organization, addresses issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development through research, education and advocacy. Please visit www.bornthiswayfoundation.org and join the youth-powered movement to build a braver, kinder world.

About Campus Pride 
Campus Pride is the leading national collegiate organization serving universities, campus groups and student leaders, helping them commit to, create and maintain safer college environments for LGBT students. The organization coordinates the nation's largest student-driven network focused on developing campus policies, practices and programs to support LGBT and ally students across the United States.

About GLSEN  
GLSEN is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.

About Hive
Hive is a network of civic and cultural institutions dedicated to transforming the learning landscape by creating opportunities for youth to explore their interests through connected learning experiences.

About the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
School psychologists work with parents, educators, and community providers to create safe, supportive schools, promote students’ academic success, and support their healthy behavior and development. NASP empowers school psychologists and works with allied professionals, child/youth advocates, and policymakers to advance effective practices that improve students’ learning, behavior, and mental health.

About MENTOR
MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership is the unifying champion for expanding quality youth mentoring relationships in the United States. MENTOR’s goal is to help young people by providing a public voice, developing and delivering resources to mentoring programs nationwide, and promoting quality for mentoring through standards, cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art tools.
 
MENTOR works closely with MENTOR’s network of Mentoring Partnerships and more than 5,000 mentoring programs and volunteer centers throughout the country, serving more than three million children in all 50 states. MENTOR serves young people between the ages of 6 and 24, and its work over more than two decades has helped millions of young people find the support and guidance they need to build productive and meaningful lives. MENTOR is headquartered in Boston, MA.

About Mentoring USA
Mentoring USA is a leading national provider of one-to-one site-based mentoring programs to enable young people to achieve their potential.  Mentoring USA's mission is to create sustained and supportive mentor relationships for youth in need ages 7-21.  The program matches youth across the country with trained volunteer adult mentors who can guide them in developing healthy lifestyles and better self-esteem, and academic achievement.

Mentoring USA’s mentor training and curriculum are nationally recognized and its curriculum includes diversity appreciation, anti-bullying, financial literacy, job shadowing, academic support and healthy lifestyles initiatives, including a tennis program in partnership with the USTA. Mentoring USA’s programs have a proven track record of success—100% of the students in Mentoring USA’s school-based and community-based mentoring programs have consistently moved on to the next grade level.  Mentoring USA also provides international mentoring programs through Mentoring Italia and Mentoring Espana. See www.mentoringusa.org to learn more about Mentoring USA.

About The Trevor Project 
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people under 24. Every day, The Trevor Project saves young lives through its free and confidential lifeline and instant messaging services, in-school workshops, educational materials, online resources and advocacy. Honored by the White House as a “Champion of Change,” The Trevor Project is a leader and innovator in suicide prevention. Learn more at TheTrevorProject.org.

About YOUmedia
Based on a teen learning space at the Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago, YOUmedia are spaces where kids explore, express, and create using digital media. They connect youth with books, media, and institutions in their city to encourage collaboration and creativity. YOUmedia’s core philosophy is that youth are best engaged when they’re following their passions, collaborating with others, and being makers and doers, not passive consumers.

About YSA (Youth Service America)
YSA (Youth Service America) improves communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people serving in substantive roles. Through campaigns such as Global Youth Service Day and Semester of Service; YSA Grants and awards programs; and resources and training opportunities, YSA activates millions of young people each year. Working with—and on behalf of—youth, adult mentors, organizations and schools, YSA promotes a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of community action, learning, leadership, and achievement. www.YSA.org and www.GYSD.org.

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