Mental health is a growing issue in society, and the world needs all the help it can get. Thankfully groups like Break the Cycle have been more than ready to rise to the challenge. Today, the organization encourages youth to overcome depression and suicidal tendencies.
Break the Cycle is a company that is a combination of a small music group and a group of motivational speakers that Anastasia Cleopatry Kirkwood has put together. This company aims to help reserves struggling with suicide, generational trauma, and the cycle that continue to make it difficult for the next generation to flourish.
“Our company offers motivational speakers, live concerts, and we bring in food so that we could talk with the next generation who are struggling with their Mental Health,” says the compassionate company founder. Their company uses all the money to help the children, so they have something to look forward to. They offer a warm meal, books about suicide awareness and merchandise from their proven and tested program.
Anastasia Cleopatra Kirkwood, the founder of Break the Cycle, was born in Thompson, Manitoba. It was hard where she grew up because she was bullied every day. She had to deal with alcoholic parents. She got caught up in the law and gangs and moved to Winnipeg. She lived with many girls’ homes her whole life, including Manitoba Youth Center for juvenile youth. She struggled with her mental health, and music became a coping method to help her through her days. She performed at small shows, met artists, worked long nights in the studio, made her album, and did big concerts all over Canada.
“My dream is to become a successful artist, and I never want to give up. So I built a brand called “Break The Cycle” that helps our youth with mental health, bullying, suicide awareness every day. I wanted to be a voice for my people by using music as a voice for our native people, especially those who are going through a lot”, says the compassionate leader.
Anastasia and her company aim to serve young residential schools that struggle with alcoholism and poverty. All their programs are geared towards making a change for the people. As an aboriginal woman of success, Anastasia Cleopatra Kirkwood shows that she can do it. This is what keeps her going through the hard times.
“Because I grew up in girls’ homes my whole life, and I always needed someone to talk to to help me through my day by making music. I think it’s the best coping mechanism, and I wanted to help the youth struggling with the same problems I had. What motivates me every day is seeing the change in my people. They look up to me for inspiration”, says the inspirational founder of Break the Cycle. As they grow their community and reach through different publicity materials, they are looking to reach out to the youth because they believe they are our future. The central belief is that the stronger the youth, the brighter the future.
Break The Cycle stands out from others because it is started by people who came from nothing and became something big. They want to inspire aboriginal women and men to be able to surpass their limitations.
