574. Mental Health Week: Transforming a Telephone Booth into a Beacon of Hope + Empowering Mental Health Through Community - Gloria Umanah, Hope Booth
This episode is part of our Mental Health Week series. Explore all the episodes, find resources + more at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth.
Listen to this episode
Overview
Meet Gloria. She is alive today because of one four-lettered word: hope. And she’s on a mission to leverage her life for the good of others so that they too would choose hope and choose to live💙 Alongside her team at Hope Booth, they’re transforming old telephone booths into immersive, evidence-based experiences that spread hope, offer mental health care, and connect people to vital resources. Tune in to hear this incredible story of resilience and the life-changing power of hope✨
💡 Learn
The power of hope + making it accessible
The mission + history of Hope Booth
The role of community + collaboration in driving innovative solutions
This episode includes discussions about mental health challenges, including suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek support from a mental health professional or contact one of the helplines below:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US): 1-800-273-8255 or dial 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123
Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14
International Helplines: Find resources here.
Today's Guest
Gloria Umanah, Founder + CEO, Hope Booth
“I do this because I know it can change lives. I want to do everything possible to make hope accessible for people.”
Episode Transcript
Download Full Episode Transcript Here
Episode Highlights
Overview of Hope Booth (3:15)
Gloria’s story and journey to where she is today (4:45)
Gloria’s “Marking Moment” (8:45)
The science of hope (17:00)
Hope Booth’s launch + the public reception (21:45)
The dreams for Hope Booth (33:15)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Gloria’s life (37:45)
How to help the Hope Booth today (43:05)
Gloria’s One Good Thing: Fight to choose joy. (47:25)
Powerful Quotes
“We wanted to create something that was unique and innovative, that can give people the opportunity to experience hope at all times.”
“I didn’t just become a mental health advocate. I didn’t choose that. My story led me to that.” -Gloria
“As a child, your identity is rooted in what you had. Because I felt like I had not, I felt like I also was not. ” -Gloria
“I realized I really am not alone. That was a marking moment in my story.” -Gloria
“As hard as it was, I would go back and do it again, just for the sake of being able to stand here today and stand on business and say, I know the power of hope.” -Gloria
“Hope recognizes the truth of where I'm at, but it also recognizes the power of where I can go and where I will be.” -Gloria
“I do this because I know it can change lives. I want to do everything possible to make hope accessible for people.” -Gloria
“If I had never invited people into the story of building and developing hope booth, it actually would still be on a piece of paper.” -Gloria
“I may never know any of these people's names, I may never know their stories, but I can see from our back end that this data is proof of lives being changed.” -Gloria
“We want hope to be the headline of the story here. We want hope to be the headline in people's lives here.” -Gloria
“Instead of having to waste our time and energy convincing the wrong people. We want to connect with people who are already convinced, who already carry the heartbeat of this work so that we can expedite the work we're doing and create a ripple effect of impact and really help people.” -Gloria
“Generosity has the ability to keep people's hearts beating.” -Gloria
“Despite what you're going through, fight for joy and then fight to spread that joy contagiously.” -Gloria
Connect with Hope Booth
Website / LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube
Connect with Gloria
Website / LinkedIn / Instagram / YouTube / X (Twitter)
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Connect with Becky
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