AP published this remembrance of Project Semicolon founder Amy Bleuel in 2017. The semicolon became a symbol of continuing one’s story and, for some people, a way to express solidarity around mental health.
People may use the symbol for different personal reasons. A tattoo does not establish a diagnosis, and the movement’s symbolism is not a substitute for care. The original article’s predictions of inevitable growth and unsupported claims about lives saved have been removed.
We remember Amy and the people touched by her work with compassion. This revision also removes language framing suicide as a lost battle or suggesting that death brings desired peace.
If you need support in the United States, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or use its online chat. For an immediate emergency, contact emergency services.