Backpack exhibit at Love Park draws attention to suicide of college students

A traveling display of 1100 backpacks called “Send Silence Packing” – brought attention to the issue of suicide on college campuses at Love Park on Monday.

The backpacks represent how many lives are lost to suicide on American college campuses every year.

Each pack is dedicated to the memory of a specific person, containing pictures and personal stories.

The exhibit is organized by Active Minds a national network of college groups promoting mental health and awareness.

“It’s such a visual representation of such tragedy,” said Alison Malmon, Founder and Executive Director of Active Minds, back in 2010.

Malmon lost her brother to suicide when she was a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Time and time again we hear from individuals that they didn’t realize that this was such an issue. Or they even sometimes have to step away from the display because it is so impactful, but then they always come back,” said Malmon.

The next stop for the exhibit is a shopping center in Fairfax, Virginia, May 12.