#ImChangingTheNarrative

As the first female sports reporter to participate in a pro football training camp, Rachel's career-long pursuit of delivering an authentic account to her fans is relentless. Ms. Baribeau is a graduate of Auburn University; she’s delivered insightful commentary to millions of sports enthusiast via national broadcasters such as Fox Sports, ESPN and CBS Sports. She was the first female host on SiriusXm ESPNU and votes for the prestigious Heisman Trophy. 

In 2016 she blazed another trail with the movement, #ImChangingtheNarrative. Since August of 2016, she has visited 40 schools, talking to athletes about being Kings/Queens through purpose, passion and platform; and an increased look at mental health, self-care and interpersonal relationships. The movement has caught fire with millions of social-media hits, including visits to Border Patrol and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In late 2019 Rachel retired from sportscasting to go all in as Founder of ICTN. 

In 2016 I started this movement because wherever you looked or read, athletes/coaches were garnering the headlines for all the wrong reasons. I knew they had the power to trend for something positive; I knew they could change the narrative.  I use my personal experiences with seeking fame and fortune, and with domestic violence, depression and anxiety, to teach royalty inside all of us, but for a myriad of reasons, including struggles with mental and emotional health, we fail to realize our full potential. I address students on campuses across the nation, in person and online, sharing my experiences and building trusting relationships. There is an evergreen online program to continue the experience beyond my visit. Through the movement, students are able to realize their full potential and that positively affect the way they talk and relate to themselves, their relationships and what they choose to do with their lives.

It is my deep foundational belief that most of what ails us in this world stem from mental and emotional health issues: Violence, poor self and interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, addiction, suicide, prejudice, incarceration and depression.  According to the IMHE, WHO and CDC, over 10% of the world population suffers from these issues.  Fewer than half receive treatment or intervention.  Further, the social stigma attached to admitting the need for and obtaining mental and emotional help, prevents ill or vulnerable people from gaining health.  

On college and high school campuses, the problem is legion.  According to NIH, over 25% of young adults suffering from mental and emotional health issues, and fewer than 40% receiving any treatment in a year.  The constant commercial and peer social media barrage of images that reinforce unattainable ideals in appearance and status drive behavior to conformity, to putting on a figurative mask in an attempt to avoid ostracism.  

Many adverse factors contribute to these issues: poor role-modeling of healthy relationships with self and others, parent and peer abuse of drugs/alcohol, bullying, physical and sexual abuse, poverty and lack of access to social services and mental health professionals.

I'm Changing The Narrative focuses on imbuing each community with an experience that enhances protective factors for mental and emotional health.  I pour into KINGS/QUEENS/ROYALTY around the country through in-person talks, Zooms and on-demand digital learning about mental health, self-care, interpersonal relationships and leaving a legacy, partnering with local mental health and educational professionals.

I have an #ImChangingtheNarrative speaker bureau and training, where I train/teach participants in how to tell their story with the founding principals of ICTN, so they can positively affect their communities via in-person talks and social media.

I create and implement large Mental Health/ICTN Events on campuses to raise awareness and drive engagement.

I am deeply passionate about this movement living on beyond my lifetime. I want to inspire the next generation and the next and the next to change the narrative, and to live their lives as the KINGS/QUEENS/ROYALTY they were created to be. 

The movement started in colleges affecting athletes, but since 2016 I've come to realize this movement is for all ages, athletes or not. I have spoken to grade-school kids, college athletes, professionals, stay-at-home moms, first responders, etc. I also created on-demand training for high-school aged students called Before The First Shot to mitigate violence and self-harm.

So, the community is all of us, as the issues impact all of us universally.  I focus most closely on youth, college students, first responders and their families.

I am a huge advocate of meeting people where they are emotionally and psychologically.  As someone who battles depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation, and someone who is a survivor of domestic violence and abuse, I have an intimate understanding of their needs.  

I communicate with thousands of my participants via phone, email, social media posting and events.  These continued relationships guide the growth and development of the programs and the content.  Listening and sharing lasting and practical tips to tackle everyday to the best of our ability. 

"Do the best you can, with what you have, to the best of your ability, look for someone to help, then rest.'

-Rachel Joy Baribeau 

Founder, #ImChangingtheNarrative 

Elevating understanding of and between people through changing people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors!

We have been doing this for four years now, from elementary schools to law enforcement offices, to colleges across the USA, to The Border Patrol and corporations and sports conferences in-between...we have been making a difference. I need YOU to help me take this farther, to reach more people to save/change more lives. Together we can further change the narrative of our world. This message is evergreen and can touch a six-year-old, a CEO, stay-at-home mom/dad or corporate warrior. 

In 2016 the game of football that I loved was becoming unrecognizable. Negative news stories dominated the game and no campus seemed immune.

In response,I developed #ImChangingtheNarrative with student athletes in mind and a belief that one crooked course made straight is everything.  One misstep not taken means one less victim in the world.  And one less life thrown away because of a split-second bad decision.

I have spoken to both athletes and non-athletes on more than 40 college campuses about taking back the headlines for good, showing them that they have the power to change the narrative and to find their purpose in life outside of their sport.  Additional themes are self-care, mental health  and interpersonal relationships. 

In addition to speaking on campuses, I have developed an online curriculum for self-paced study for those outside of athletics.  It is called The Blueprint. I have also developed a course for high-school students to address bullying, kindness, inclusion, dating, mental health and more. My deepest belief/hope is that some student gets his/her hands on my program and doesn't perpetrate an act of mass violence, or violence against him/herself. Lastly I have just started working with law enforcement offices across the country. 

There was a time when I couldn't see the queen inside of me; I couldn't see my own royalty. I couldn't see that I was a miracle, put on this earth to do amazing things. I am also the victim (but really victor) of domestic violence.  Now I love myself and because of that I have developed standards and boundaries by which I let people treat me. I also hold myself to a certain standard of behavior as a queen. 

When I see people going down the wrong path or making poor decisions, I can empathize and want to discover what might be behind that or perhaps show them a better way. One of my greatest joys is helping people find what sets their soul on fire and seeing them run towards it with everything they have.

In short, I believe the greatest way to make substantive and lasting change in the world is to help one person find the way to be their best self.  I'm Changing The Narrative is merely the vehicle that allows me the greatest reach and impact. 

I was a sportscaster for 17 years and before I retired from reporting to run this movement, I spoke, hosted and performed onstage for millions . I am a gifted presenter and able to connect with people of all walks of life. (Hello! If by Rudyard Kipling).

My personal experience with anxiety, depression, domestic violence, suicidal ideation, and the subsequent work done in healing, has imbued me with empathy and understanding of others in like circumstances.

Further, from those experiences, I have learned how to share specific concepts, content and lessons that are repeatable and deliverable to all audiences that address those issues.

From my career, and the work over the past four years in I'm Changing The Narrative, I have developed a team of like-minded, passionate and engaged employees, advocates, allies, influencers and social media followers that amplify and respond to calls to action.

This is my heart, my soul, my passion, my baby. #ImChangingtheNarrative is my WHY. Because of that it flows out of me, it bubbles up in my soul. It radiates off of me. I get up thinking about changing lives and go to sleep doing the same. 

With your help I can learn to scale this to world-wide proportions. I can touch and change more lives. 

In 2014, I summited Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet), in a blizzard. Everyone else on the mountain, outside of our party, turned back. We pressed forward because it wasn't just a climb for personal glory, it was a mission to raise awareness and money for ALS.

I organized the climb in honor of my friend Kevin Turner, NFL star, Ed Block Courage Award winner and a victim of ALS.  All of the time, expense, resources, support and work of over a year led to our party being on the mountain that day, everything was perfect but the weather.  While our guides stated they could safely take us up and back, they cautioned of the heightened risk and greater likelihood of failure.  All members of our party agreed, we walked through many obstacles to be in the position to climb that day, what's just a few more steps.

There ended up being a documentary made about the climb and the cause, narrated by legendary NFL coach Mike Ditka. These are the amazing things that can happen when it's not about you.  Kevin taught me what I believe is the greatest secret to life: it's not about you. You were not born for you.

In early September, 2019, PJ Fleck, the University of Minnesota football coach, asked me if I had any ideas about doing something special on campus the week of a game in October.  With four weeks notice, I led a team comprised of my staff, Minnesota and University of Maryland staff, network and mental health officials in creating the first ever Mental Health Awareness Game in the Big 10 Conference.

In October of 2019, I "hosted" the game and all supporting events dedicated to mental health awareness.  In the above picture are the president of Minnesota and athletic director.  

On that day over 30,000 programs were passed out with resources to get mental help, including my website. We also produced a joint PSA with Minnesota and Maryland players and coaches talking mental health and the need to normalize getting help, which was broadcast both on the Jumbotron and network. We also had media write-ups from coast-to-coast. Each player had a shirt commemorating the game and wore mental health awareness stickers on their helmets. I am so very proud of this historical day and I know lives were changed and saved that day. 

I am calling greatness out of the human soul; when you realize the limitless possibility in your own soul there is a new dimension of performance, self-love and care, achievement, growth and goals. I help people find what sets their soul on fire and then help them run towards it with everything they have. 

We currently serve 4,000+ current or recent college graduates, first responders, high schools students, plus their families.

In the next year, we will be serving 8,000+ current or recent college graduates, first responders, high schools students plus their families.

In five years, we will be serving 100,000+.

In the next year I plan to continue to expand my work into law enforcement offices, additional schools (been to 40 colleges and countless high school thus far), continue to add speakers to my speaker bureau so the movement lives on well past me.

In the next 5 years I have an audacious goal of getting my digital training in every high school in this country. We have a major issue with mass shooting, suicides and gun violence in general. Before the First Shot is my offering to be proactive instead of reactive. Quite simply, it offers protective factors to counter the adverse factors so many students experience.  My deepest desire and dream is that some young man partakes in my training and decides not to perpetrate a mass shooting, or shoot himself. 

We need financial partners to scale and grow this movement to make sure our team is big enough to support all our areas of growth, as well as supporting the creation and implementation of programs and content that we will be able to provide to communities for free. 

Beyond financing, the influence and support of NPO and public-private partnerships in education, mental-health, advocacy and social justice to assist with our access to their platforms, media and partners.

Finally, identifying the right medical partner to support the clinical side of our mental and emotional health programs.  Allowing us to enhance the impact after our initial engagement.

Covid reinforced the idea that I have to be able to affect people in ways other than in person. Before the pandemic hit I already had my digital program, Before the First Shot, but now the need to expand digital content for all ages and walks of life is paramount. 

To address our financial partnership needs, we have created a compelling appeal, built a targeted campaign and are using our existing influencers to help put the message in front of the right decision-makers.  A barrier we face is finding the time and resources to do this work while still providing service to our existing clients.

To address our short-term financial needs, we have created additional products for our consumers, with more flexible pricing options, so that we can meet our market where they currently are during the pandemic.

The medical partner, public-private partners and NPOs are part of our appeal campaign, but dovetailed to speak directly to each entity.  Candidly, a lot of phone calls, texts, emails and social media posts and advertising to expand awareness.

We partner with the Big 10, providing weekly counseling to the leadership group, and individual counseling to various decision-makers on how to implement I'm Changing The Narrative elements in their programs.

We partner with 40 colleges and university on annual programming, with the delivery of both in-person and digital content.

We partner with Ray Lewis' Team No Excuses, sharing resources, platforms, media and programming.

Our for-profit business model is based on the following:

-appearance/speaking fees 

-consultative services 

-subscription fees for programs and content

-corporate sponsorship 

For non-profit its donations. 

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I am applying because I have always subscribed to the theory "surround yourself with people smarter than you." I am a life-long learner. I know if I was honored with this prize this movement would benefit in so many ways. I also know that with your help we will save and change more lives, because we can reach more people! I believed/believe in this movement enough to walk away from a very high-profile and successful sportscasting career. My hope is it grabs your soul in the same way. 

From a financial standpoint you can help us scale, add staff and marketing resources. From a mentorship standpoint you surely have ideas beyond the ones we have already laid the foundation for. And you can help us market this to the entire world on an even larger scale.