My Favorite Bit of Information From The Week:
A Tale Of Schizophrenia
I listened to this TED talk from Elyn Saks this past week. She is a high functioning Law scholar and writer with very intense schizophrenia. Despite all of the stigma and fear of being identified with her mental illness, she now talks about it openly to show that you can have schizophrenia and (with the help of medication and therapy) live a full and happy life. It moved me so deeply to hear her story. It also makes me think of the homeless in our community, since a large percentage of homeless are schizophrenic or dealing with a mental health instability. Many folks don’t realize this fact and treat them with contempt or fear. It is my hope that listening to Elyn’s story can give us all a bit more compassion to those we know with schizophrenia, and to those that we only know from our brief interactions with them on the street. It is also my hope that stories like Elyn’s will put us in motion to find ways of offering affordable medication and mental health care to our homeless community. Without this assistance, they are trapped. With it, they have the choice to live full and happy lives.
A Bit More On Schizophrenia:Mind is still my favorite organization for accessible information to almost all mental illnesses. Their articles, videos, and references on schizophrenia are no exception. They are an excellent place to start if you are curious to learn more.
Homeless Monologues Project: It is my goal to do a more intensive post later in the year specifically about the homeless and mental illness, but I wanted to share one amazing resource right now. My friend Tommy has created a Homeless Monologues project, where he earns money performing monologues on the streets and then uses it to help our homeless community. He is completely independent and I have witnessed first hand the lives he has touched. You can access more information about him through his gofundme.
Update On My Show:
2. SAVE THE DATE! January 28th at The Hideout Inn! Please note: This show is for ages 21+; however, the future shows throughout the city will be for younger audiences. 3. I will be introducing one of my amazing collaborators each week until January 28th the show! This week, I would love to introduce you to Dylan Stuckey, my show’s Film Director! He is a beautiful human with whom I have worked with for the past five years. His genuine person and his creativity are absolutely inspiring and I am thrilled to have him be a part of One Woman Hamlet. A Bit About Head Film Director, Dylan Stuckey: Dylan Stuckey is honored to collaborate with Kate on this incredible project. He has been working as an independent photographer and cinematographer in Chicago for last five years. More of his work can be viewed on his website: www.dylanstuckeyphotography.com |