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RAISING THE VISIBILITY is Hope For Us Network’s newest digital education series exploring mental health care in the 21st century! Each episode is a Livestream broadcast that offers interactive education and discussion experience on The Network’s Twitch Channel.
SEASON 1: Stimgas and our Institutions
We will examine social and cultural factors that can create "blind spots" among professionals that lead to obstacles in identifying, validating, and servicing mental health challenges.
Together with voices representing lived experience, advocacy, clinicians, and professionals, we hope to have a comprehensive discussion identifying problems and seeking solutions!
Episode 3: Orientation
When who we are attracted to impacts how we are treated and supported.
Episode 3 Featured Guest Expert: Sean Connolly
Sean has been with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for the past 9 years. He served on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Chapter for several years as the Treasurer and continues to serve the chapter as LGBTQ Coordinator for the Chapter. He became a volunteer following his sister's suicide in 2013.
He is dedicated to building capacity across Illinois to help address the intersecting factors of LGBTQIA suicide risk in the state.
Sean is the Founder and Executive Director of Helix Education, a 501 C 3 non-profit focused on building transferable skills for K-12 students through community-based project learning. He is also on the board of directors for the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce and has been an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School of Business since 2019.
Episode 3 Community Panel
Jess Anderson
A charismatic content creator, primarily known on TikTok for posting animal content, makeup/fashion videos, vlogging, and comedy. Jessica has enjoyed several viral video hits over the last three years. In 2021, Jessica became a published author debuting “Mercy's Light,” the first entry in the Keepers Series's sci-fi fantasy series. The sequel, “Mercy's Reign,” is set to premiere in June 2022!
You can get a copy of Mercy’s Light on Amazon!
Marlo Reyes
Marlo Reyes is a Mexican queer creative who is passionate about ending the stigmas. Marlo has facilitated intensive podcasts breaking silences and celebrating mental health discussions, particularly exploring mental health across the Latin diaspora in the podcast Caguamas-y-Dramas.
For full episodes and other Marlo activities, go HERE
Kate Smith
Kate Smith is an award-winning performer, producer, and content creator in Chicago. She created One Woman Hamlet: Shake(speare) the Stigma on Mental Health. An amazing inventive production that parallels the story of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with Kate’s journey as a creative dealing with mental illness. Written for her younger self, the show uses Shakespeare, puppetry, and music. Kate describes herself as "formerly a queer youth who grew up in a conservative environment". Kate is an experienced advocate with 200+ hours in extended mental health training. She is a trauma-sensitive trained yoga teacher who has provided 1000+ hours of education, including teaching trauma-sensitive prenatal yoga in Cook County Jail through the Yoga For Recovery program. One Woman Hamlet Website
Jianna Termini, MOT, OTR/L Jianna is a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist with a deep passion for combating stigma and innovating mental health care. She is at the forefront of integrating new technologies into treatment, healing, and self-care.