If You're Reading This, Olivia Van Dyke Cares
design: Finley Banks
A love letter to a supportive community.
by Abigail Luca ★ OCTOBER 23, 2024
IfYoureReadingThis.org is a mental health nonprofit that creates an outlet for students who are struggling with mental health to utilize, bringing strength and support to our campus. Olivia Van Dyke, SU Junior, an active member who is very passionate about the organization, speaks out boldly and confidently about issues of mental health- a topic that often can be difficult to talk about. Both Van Dyke and the organization's mission is to create a supportive community that isn't afraid to have hard conversations; a community that creates understanding and restores “faith in humanity”, like it did for Van Dyke.
What would you say is the sole purpose of the organization?
The main goal is to destigmatize mental health. A lot of people, especially college kids, understand that it's hard to be vulnerable, especially with people that you see every day. It's easy to sit behind a screen and tell your story and not have people watch or see the reaction. But to sit face to face and tell someone what you're struggling with… that's something we don't know much about. However, because things like IfYoureReadingThis, we're seeing more of it. Our goal is to make a community on campus; for students to know there are people there for them.
What about IfYoureReadingThis drove you to join? I first saw the site when somebody I followed on Instagram reposted a girl's letter. I read it, and I remember thinking, what if I wrote a letter? What would it say?
So, I let myself write and it got posted. That was my initial involvement; I was just an author. At this point in the org, it was only the president, Kendall Palazzi, a photographer, and a couple of people Kendall pulled together. It was not anything major. Kendall ended up tabling an event and posted it on Instagram. Since I was an author, I wanted to show up. But I also wanted to help. I ended up tabling the whole event. Kendall then asked me to take the position of event planning and outreach. Now, I’ve decided to step down and join the outreach chair, so I can focus on reaching out to people.
Have you ever felt a need for this sort of outlet before and feel that it could've helped you?
I suffer from PTSD, and there are so many times that I am extremely sad. I isolate myself because I don't think people care to know what's going on or would want to help. In full transparency, in my youth, there were times I hit rock bottom. I've called help hot hotlines, just to have somebody to talk to. Just last year, I had an incident with my brother and called a hotline because I didn't know who to turn to or what to do with myself. I didn't feel like I could talk to anyone because everyone has their own lives to worry about, and why worry them about mine? Being a part of this type of community has proven to me that if I were to go through something like that again, I could reach out and I would be supported. It has taught me to trust in people. I think our generation has a really hard time trusting that people are good and people want help. This club gives me faith in humanity.
How do you connect your personal ideals with the overall mission of the organization?
I decided to write a letter- to be an advocate, to put my story out there to help. In a sense of destigmatizing mental health, I hate the idea of people thinking they are alone and can't talk to somebody. It is the most sorrowful thing, and I know because I've been there, I've been in those low places where you feel empty and don't know how to ask for help. Being able to be someone who can help in my community is something that brings me so much joy. It's like I'm reaching out my hand to somebody. Before me, it was someone else’s who reached out for mine.
What impacts has the org made both generally and on the SU campus? Overall, the organization has gotten massive, to the point where this past summer, musician Noah Khan, had tables for IfYoureReadingThis at his concerts. There are 26 campuses involved, and it’s growing exponentially. I have seen an extreme change on the SU campus. A lot of people ask how they can help. That thought within itself shows impact. People are starting to think not only about themselves, but other people, and how they can be of service. Even personally, people know me now. In my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, there have been so many people who come to me knowing they can confide in me. I take pride in being that person. On a superficial level, the recent increase in following on the org's SU Instagram shows people close to us see us and care about our cause.
What do you believe is the reason behind the publication of only letters on the website? What is the motive behind exposing the author's names and faces?
Letters are extremely intimate. It's one of the times you can be the most vulnerable in light of writing. I see letters as like a diary entry, but somebody else is reading it. It's not required to show a face or even give a name. It is totally valid to want to write an anonymous letter. But we give the option to expose the author in order to build up this community. It's about matching somebody's story with their face, and knowing that you can talk to that person or just relate to them.
What is the reason for this outlet being solely online?
We're trying to reach people where they are- especially our generation; everybody's online and on social media. With IfYoureReadingThis being there too, as opposed to having physical letters, more people see and have access to it.
The website covers various topics from depression to seizing the day. Can letters cover anything the author desires? Are there guidelines on what to say?
Many of the stories shared are extremely raw. Can there be too much said regarding trigger warnings and more graphic topics or are the contents of letters unrestricted? There are no criteria. On the letters, there is a one-liner that says, “If you're reading this blank” giving a general synopsis of what is being spoken about. The sky’s the limit. The letters don't have to necessarily be about mental health struggles. If it is something that can help somebody then it gets published. We want to spread positivity.
IfYoureReadingThis is not only a mental health outlet, but a source for creative expression. This initiative is admirable and deserves widespread acknowledgment. Speaking of this, what do you hope for the future of this organization?
IfYoureReadingThis is attempting to go bigger than just colleges- they are trying to go national. But, Syracuse joined in Fall of 2023. As of right now, we are not an RSO, so there is no funding. This is completely run by a group of people who care. The goal is to become an RSO in hopes of future fundraising events with other organizations. We would love to become a household name. I would love it if, when I leave campus in 2026, this organization's name was prominent. Progress like that would be so beneficial because at least then, this community would know they have at least one place they can trust to go to.