NATIONWIDE CALL FOR STORYTELLERS:
Veterans, caregivers, and family members of Veterans and their journeys with
mental health and/or substance use disorder
CONTACT:
Marlon Deleon
Program Coordinator
marlondeleon@thisismybrave.org
574-302-2333
Leesburg, VA – June 6, 2023 – According to SAMHSA, “in 2020, approximately 5.2 million Veterans experienced a behavioral health condition. More telling are the numbers of Veterans who were not engaged in treatment; more than half of Veterans with a mental illness did not receive treatment within the past year. Additionally, more than 90 percent of those experiencing a substance use disorder did not receive treatment.”
We at This Is My Brave recognize that not every service member goes into combat and that not every service member in combat goes to the featured combat zone, yet all service members face challenges that may be difficult to overcome. We know that trauma can be caused by events experienced outside of combat, or even duty and that any enlistment or commission in the United States Armed Forces involves a level of risk that is not seen by most civilians. All Veterans, regardless of their experience, deserve to be heard!
This Is My Brave is here to shine a light on mental health stories from Veterans that will inspire, inform, offer hope, and let other Veterans know they are not alone.
This Is My Brave announces its call for Veteran storytellers by extending an open invitation to members of the Veteran community who want to share a story for the November 2023 virtual production of This Is My Brave – Stories from the Veteran Community, Vol. 2. This call is open to all Veterans or any individual who is associated with Veterans – partners, children, parents – to be a storyteller or help with show production. Stories can be expressed via poetry, monologue, original song or even stand-up comedy.
Interested individuals are invited to schedule a 15 minute Zoom call with TIMB Program Coordinator, Marlon Deleon at https://bit.ly/43rEKaI. Email questions and concerns to marlondeleon@thisismybrave.org.
“We are proud to announce our second annual virtual show dedicated to stories from the Veteran community,” says Erin Gallagher, Executive Director of This Is My Brave. “We have wanted to offer our platform to Veterans for a very long time and so we are thrilled to establish the Veterans show as an annual event. Our Veterans deserve the spotlight to share their stories of hope to inspire others and raise awareness about the Veteran experience.”
In an effort to open up conversations for Veterans and their peers, partners, parents, and family members, This Is My Brave is proud to offer our {virtual} stage to storytellers who are ready to speak openly and honestly about the Veteran experience in order to raise awareness about the Veteran experience and let other Veterans and active service members know they are not alone.
To share a story or express interest in this show, please complete this scheduling form.
This Is My Brave – Stories from the Veteran Community, a virtual show, is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, November 9, 2023. We seek to inspire hope and healing for Veterans everywhere.
Questions about this event may be directed to This Is My Brave’s Program Coordinator, Marlon Deleon, at the email address noted above.
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ABOUT THIS IS MY BRAVE:
This Is My Brave was co-founded in Virginia by Jennifer Marshall and Anne Marie Ames (1958﹣2017), two women passionate about ending the stigma surrounding mental illness and saving lives through storytelling. In May of 2014, TIMB debuted its first ever live show in Arlington, VA, at the Spectrum Theatre to a sold-out crowd of nearly 400. Over the past nine years, the nonprofit organization has hosted over 90 performances across the United States and in Australia. TIMB has been featured in The Washington Post, O, The Oprah Magazine, Stage-Directions Magazine, and as well as on the TODAY Show and many local media outlets. In 2019, This Is My Brave debuted their short documentary film and launched high school and college pilot programs. Use @thisismybrave to find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
For more information about This Is My Brave, visit https://thisismybrave.org or https://youtube.com/thisismybrave.