Reform CAPS
QUESTION
How can we use social media to advocate for better mental health services?
GOAL
Amplify the voices of students who have been harmed by Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Northwestern.
Project Overview
Reform CAPS started out of a need for better student mental health services at Northwestern University and beyond. We were a small, but passionate group of students, advocating for our peers. We met with administrators across the school — all the way up to the president — to make our concerns heard.
I served as the Social Media Manager, designing, analyzing, and posting to over 1,600 Instagram followers. Our account reached students across the globe who resonated with our generation's need for a more competent and empathetic treatment of mental health.
The Process
Sharing Student Stories
Sharing the stories of real students who had been harmed by Northwestern's mental health system served as our core mission. We based our activism work in the needs of our peers, calling on university administration to listen to their calls.
Accessibility as Expectation
I implemented design features — like content warnings, alternate text, and image descriptions — to make our page accessible to everyone. This is an expectation for my design philosophy, not an option.
I designed a color palette that enhanced WCAG compliance, a standard for web accessibility.
Let’s connect!
I love meeting new people and learning new things.
NYC | CHI
m4d3l1n3s@gmail.com
