"Skip the Stigma" Makes a SPLASH in the Speedrun Scene

(Flyer from “Skip the Stigma 2022” by OnlyLevelOne)

Part of running a business which operates, in part, as a non-profit can become quite a challenge, especially when you are trying to start brand-new channels from scratch. Having zero followers on Twitch, it was determined that, for our Twitch channel to grow and allow us to use it as a potential growth source in the future, that we needed to kickstart it. And, what better way to do this, than to throw an event that raises money for a great cause at the same time?

Charity events are a big part of the Speedrun Hall of Fame’s future. We want to make a difference in the community, and throwing a few events every year will allow us to utilize the many relationships we’ve built over the years, and raise all sorts of funds for great organizations like NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness). 2020 began a period of time that, for a lot of people (myself included), keeping ourselves mentally sharp, healthy, and happy is becoming significantly harder and harder with each day. The stigma that people cannot reach out for help when they feel stressed, anxious, sad, overwhelmed, or useless, has been around for centuries, but we now know how important these things are to address. Mental illness is a disease, one which we know how to cure, but people continue to hold their true feelings back because of fear of ostracism or retaliation (for example, professionally).

These ads help to cover the costs of running SRHoF. Thank you!

Allowing us to celebrate both speedruns and a worthy cause, all in order to launch our new endeavors, has really felt like a satisfying and rewarding process. I am so proud of our team and what we’ve accomplished together. And I am so grateful to all of the runners and folks that have selflessly volunteered their skills and time to help us achieve this event. Together, it is my hope that not only can we raise a lot of money for NAMI, but that our growth will continue to allow us to do many more events such as this in the future! LFG!

-JSR