Home » Hope And Battle Scars » The Hope And Battle Scars Campaign

The Hope And Battle Scars Campaign

by Evelyn Ulrich
The Hope And Battle Scars Campaign

One of the most inspiring things about The 100 (Why haven’t you watched it yet?) is how the different characteristics of the people do not affect their means of survival.  Everyone could be a victim and the very thought of it shakes us to the core.  It’s not always the most positive, or the most preferred.  Yet, another inspiration from The 100 is the tremendous amount of awareness from the fandom and the cast that is both derived from the series and their personal aspects.  The themes of the series circulate things in everyday life but are often shadowed.  Whilst this is not necessarily a bad thing, mental illness, PTSD, disability, LGBT, addiction, and environment all need to be brought into the light.  The more that we learn, educate, experience, and make aware of these issues, the more help, fundamentals, and resources they will receive.  Not only is it essential in our present lives, but for the future as well.

Grounders Source is proud to announce its first ever charity project that will raise awareness for disabilities.  The project, appropriately named, “The Hope And Battle Scars Campaign” is influenced and inspired by the disabled characters on The 100, and by the Grounders Source runner, who was born with a rare disability.

When creating this campaign charity, I was thinking about the other challenged/disabled individuals that I know and met throughout my life.  I met a few who behaved and lived a life like they did not have anything, people who experienced a change or event in their life that gave them challenges, and those who need assistance and care simply because they cannot do it themselves.  The latter made me realized just how lucky I am to be functioning so well with the type of disability that I have as it can go mostly black.  Meaning that I can’t function mentally and my physical limitations would be that much dire.

So, with that in mind, and the wonderful acting gifts of Lindsey Morgan and Luisa d’ Oliveira who portray the two physically challenged women characters, Raven and Emori on The 100, it was time to launch “Hope And Battle Scars.”

To raise awareness and funds, I’ve launched a Go Fund Me page that outlines the goals and body of the campaign.

Via the official The Hope And Battle Scars Campaign on GoFundMe:

The Hope and Battle Scars Campaign is not only inspired by The 100, whose characters all struggle with some degree of disability, whether born or developed, but also by its founder, Evelyn Ulrich, who has a rare physical disability.  We can relate and connect with their struggles, and their positive ambitions to help the world.

Lots of people have told me (well my parents and family specifically) that due to my challenges that I wouldn’t be able to walk, function, or have a life worth living for.

But here I am, and I am doing everything that they say that I wouldn’t or couldn’t do, and much more.  And despite the cruelty life has thrown at me on many occasions, I am happy.  I guess I didn’t let it get to me.

On The 100, disability, like all the other minorities are unbeknownst or it does not matter in the narrative.   All everyone tries to do is survive in a world that was left tortured after a  devastating nuclear war.  Their struggles are sometimes difficult to watch, but speaking on my part, it is a real struggle, but you have to pull through them and live life the way you need to.

We all want the chance to live, love, conquer, share, and be loved, whether we are challenged or not.    It’s simply human nature and compassion.  In writing and on-screen, it’s a beautiful thing to watch, and The 100 is one of the only few shows that outlines disability in a positive and empowering facet.  No other show on television that I can think of has done it this way.  Sure, disabled people are featured, but not the way it’s supposed to be projected.  And, it’s a real shame because there are thousands of positive directions the writers can make for their characters.

Realistically, life does not give you that all the time.  It’s frustrating because when you want to fight a certain battle, you are often struck down just because you are challenged.  Or others harass and belittle simply because you are different.

It does not have to be that way.

Often, and sadly, not enough goes to the disabled.  They are often put into facilities that don’t always meet the unique needs of each individual after their parents’ or guardian passes or there is no one else to take them in.  This is sad, but there is hope for them.

The Ray Graham Association (http://www.raygraham.org/ ) is a Chicago-land based 501 non-profit who offer those with special needs a chance to thrive in their lives.  They are given residential housing with experienced caretakers if needed, employment training and job placement, recreational activities, family support, life skills that are necessary, and so much more.

Having chosen this particular nonprofit is a personal understanding.  Having been a part of it for so many years, whether it’s helping or making their day a little better, it’s remarkable at how these people are striving.

$10,000 may seem like a lot, but it is not when you place the figures into perspective.  The money that you donate will go into the association, and will equally be divided among the services that Ray Graham offers.  For example, $2K will go into the repairs of the apartment/condo complexes that the individuals reside, another 2K will go into the therapists that are vital for the ones with mobility limitations, another will go to the supplies, and so on.

No matter the amount, it is beyond the gratitude of Ray Graham and myself.  If for any reason that you cannot give, just sharing the campaign via social media, your own blog or site, or the old-fashioned way, word of mouth, will help just as much and just as appreciative.

Hopefully, if this one is a success, then Hope and Battle Scars can help other disability non-profits around the globe.  No one or Fankru should be turned away in the world.

I will also be working on exclusive The 100 themed art that will be designed onto different items that you can purchase.  50% of the proceeds of each purchase will go to the charity.  An update on this will be available soon.

Of course, this GoFundMe page will be present on the Grounders Source website where it will be tracked, and others will be able to see its potential.

If you want to assist or help the campaign, please contact me, and we can accommodate the goals.

Lastly, the name of my campaign comes from the battle scars that we get from life, and hope is the light that we want and fights for.  Put them together, and you have the story of many people.

In the words of Raven Reyes: “We all have battle scars.”

 

The Hope And Battle Scars Campaign

 

The challenged do not deserve to struggle.  We are real people just fighting to live and thrive, and not to be rejected by our peers, or tell us that we will not have a happy and a full life.   That is all we want, and we ask for nothing else.

To join and share the campaign, please go to the GoFundMe page.  If you have any questions or comments that you’d like to address, please feel free to contact Grounders Source by filling out a submitting a contact form located under The Website section, or by social media,

For more detailed information about the Ray Graham Association For People With Disabilities, you can visit their website at http://www.raygraham.org/.


Follow Grounders Source on FaceBook and Twitter to keep up with the latest The 100 news.

 

You may also like