Lighting the Way

Jordan Harris was an athlete, a musician, and a prankster whose sole mission in life seemed to be helping others. She lit up any room she entered. She also suffered in silence from severe depression, which ultimately took her life on March 27, 2012. After her death, the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation (JEHF) was created in her memory to eradicate suicide by funding depression research, by creating awareness through education, by erasing the stigma that surrounds mental diseases, and by providing hope to those who are struggling in silence.

Photo courtesy of the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation

The JEHF’s programming reaches thousands of people. There are Hope Squads, a peer support program that empowers students to take action to prevent suicide, in 88 schools across North Texas. Almost 200 QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention trainings were held in 2019. And the JEHF provides funding for depression research so that no one will know the pain of losing a loved one to suicide.

To fund these programs and research, the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation has hosted the Bring the Conversation to Light event every year since 2013. This year’s event, which takes place on Wednesday, November 18, is a little different. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event will be held virtually, but as in years past, it will feature dynamic speakers with impactful stories. This year’s emcee is Carlos Capua, and the keynote speaker is Terry Bentley Hill.

2020 has hit many people hard. The global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and social unrest have combined to create stressors that we haven’t experienced before. The work of the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation is more important than ever. To register for the 7^th Annual Bring the Conversation to Light virtual event, click here. A world without suicide is possible.