This Is My Brave is a nonprofit organization taking a bold and brave stand to eradicate stigma through the sharing of personal stories live on stage via creative expression in cities across the US and Australia.
This mini documentary, produced by Principle Pictures, was our first film endeavor. It was funded through a prestigious Inspiration Grant from Alkermes in 2017. Watch four brave individuals from our Boston production who audition for the show and are cast to experience sharing their stories of living with PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and substance use disorder from the This Is My Brave stage.
See them come forward in a public way to break down mental illness and addiction stigma by sharing their stories, and witness the transformation that takes place as they make the decision to no longer harbor the secret of their struggle. This Is My Brave's 26-minute documentary film also tells the story of Co-Founder and Executive Director, Jennifer Marshall (jennifermarshall.me) and her decision in early 2013 to go public with her painful journey living with Type 1 Bipolar Disorder, and how it led her to create the nonprofit organization later that year.
This Is My Brave The Show is a storytelling production where people from the community take turns at the microphone to share their story on stage via searing personal essays, brilliant original music, hilarious comedy and powerful slam poetry. The organization's mission is to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues by sharing personal stories of individuals living successful, full lives despite mental illness through poetry, essay and original music, on stage in front of a live audience, through stories submitted and published to our blog, and via our KZread channel.Through the sharing of stories and experiences of those in recovery, we provide community and hope, encouraging others to share their stories. We believe that each time one of us talks openly about living with mental illness and addiction, we create another crack which helps to break down the stigma so that no one suffers in silence.
"Brave" written by Sara Bareilles and Jack Antonoff
Copyright 2013 Sony/ATV Music Publishing, LLC, Ducky Donath Music, Tiny Bear Music
All rights on behalf Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Ducky Donath Music & Tiny Bear Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Performed by Savannah Outen, Keep Your Soul Records
This Is My Brave, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (thisismybrave.org) is the leading platform for individuals to share their stories of living successful lives despite a diagnosis of a mental health disorder or substance use disorder through artistic expression on stage in front of a live audience. We're opening up the conversation about mental health disorders in communities all across the country and beyond via our KZread channel.
We're shining a light on mental illness because it has been in the dark too long. We're ending mental illness stigma, one story at a time.
Donate to This Is My Brave, Inc. to help us continue to shine a light on mental illness: thisismybrave.org/donate/
Tickets for our upcoming events on sale via our website's EVENTS page (thisismybrave.org/events).
*****
Please join our community by connecting with us on our social media channels and spread the word about our organization's mission to end stigma through storytelling!
WEBSITE thisismybrave.org
TWITTER / thisismybrave
FACEBOOK / thisismybrave
INSTAGRAM / thisismybrave
SUBSCRIBE to our KZread channel to see all our newest videos! / thisismybrave
SUBSCRIBE to our e-NEWSLETTER: eepurl.com/c6VPir