The Story Behind the Hope Inc. Stories Logo

When we believe we can fulfill our dream, that’s hope. Hope is an essential contributor to a person’s personal recovery and a driving force behind so many of our actions every day. In 2006, we changed our company name to Recovery Innovations, Inc. More than 40 years earlier, the field of psychiatric rehabilitation, with leaders like William Anthony, paved the road for the concept of recovery in mental health. We were among the first to run with these ideals, hiring hundreds of peer specialists with their own lived experience to leverage their stories of recovery into the care of others. We shifted our focus to what’s strong, not what’s wrong. Hope grew exponentially in our programs simply because there were examples of a more connected life, which we think an essential element of hope. It was evidenced right in front of us, within the peer specialists on center stage.

Decades later, recovery is still a powerful word that confronts the fatalism of those who believe serious mental illness can only result in lifelong debilitating suffering and dependency. Recovery doesn’t mean the person is cured. It represents a shift in attitude and outlook from being overwhelmed by the disabling power of the illness to believing that hopes and dreams are still within reach… and that a better life is a very real possibility.

We aim to tell those stories on Hope Inc. Stories. We won’t look away from the pain and struggle. Hope isn’t pain-free, and yes, there are challenges even in hope. However, we will also showcase the other days. The better days. We will put on the brightest stage the rich tapestry of life and experience that comes from the contributions and connections of those on a mental health recovery journey.

It’s a grand vision… and one that needed a logo.

So, earlier this year, we solicited ideas in a company-wide art design contest. We had dozens of submissions from across the United States. Seven finalists were chosen, and Shannon Youso’s concept with chevrons revealing a bright sunrise over dark mountains was selected. We loved the forward momentum, finding the light in our darkest moments. And, it didn’t hurt that it integrated our RI International purple. It was perfect!

Next, we asked Lucy Schwartz, a peer specialist out of Washington, to put her own unique fingerprints on the project. Her video, A Window Into What’s Next , was one of the primary inspirations for this website, and she has painted 15 murals across the RI Recovery Response Centers in five different states. We asked her to share her vision of the Hope Inc. Stories logo at our corporate offices, and the result is just beautiful. (Look for the fun elements in the top image, including our Deputy CEO standing in the center facing the sunrise with arms outstretched in victory!)

Finally, our website maven Rin Koenig synthesized all of these ideas into the powerful header on the website: a fantastic quilt stitching together the hundreds of amazing stories we will feature over the coming months and years.

David Covington

David is CEO and President of RI International. He’s a behavioral health innovator, entrepreneur and storyteller and the creator of HopeInc.com.