Isabelle Alexandra Medina was thirteen years old when she took her life on September 6th, 2014. Those who knew Isabelle describe her as a kind, intelligent, funny, and outgoing girl who radiated happiness and brought laughter to all of those around her. We at the IAM Strong Foundation see that a change needs to be made in the way in which mental health is viewed. As a result of frequently attached stigma, teenagers can feel as though getting the help they need and deserve is not an option. We aim to communicate to teenagers that they are not alone in their mental health struggles. Our core belief is that having positive supports can and will make a difference in the emotional well-being of those facing the challenges of mental illness. It is through this philosophy that we hope to make a change in the lives and experiences of teenagers. Isabelle may be gone, but her spirit still lives on, and we here at the IAM Strong Foundation see it as our mission to keep her legacy alive. Through awareness and education, we plan to bring light to a serious topic not discussed often enough -- mental health. The IAM Strong Foundation works to shatter stigma, promote acceptance, and ensure that no teenager should ever have to experience a tragic death such as the one which took Isabelle. It in in this way which we will hold onto Isabelle's memory. Please join us in our work to provide support to teenagers for the remembrance of Isabelle.
