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Our digital storytelling series highlights the lived experience of individuals with mental health conditions and developmental disabilities. This effort aims to raise awareness and educate the public on best practices when it comes to working with this population.
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MHDD Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Digital Storytelling Series: Melissa's Story
Melissa Malcolm King is a forty-year-old Black individual from Salt Lake City, UT, who has been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions. In this episode, you can hear about Melissa’s experiences growing up and attending school, challenges with employment, and working as an advocate to help others who share similar intersections.
Melissa Malcolm King es una persona de raza negra/afroamericana de cuarenta años de Salt Lake City, UT, que ha sido diagnosticada con discapacidades del desarrollo y afecciones de salud mental. En este episodio, puede escuchar sobre las experiencias de Melissa al crecer e ir a la escuela, los desafíos con el empleo y su trabajo como defensora para ayudar a otras personas que comparten intersecciones similares.
Links from Melissa's Story:
DRAC Disability Rights Action Committee https://disabledrightsutah.org/
Affirmation: LGBTQ+ Mormons, Families, and Friends https://affirmation.org/
Lifesaver Connection Services https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UBcItlvC1h-WK5kEtWxXofJYEJR_Qx8FZDvSUy0PZn4/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BKFqk2QQlAs9ag-NerwHfH6SrUJ_hRz0n2T0fTZ1e5c/edit?usp=sharing
Project B.E. S.A.F.E. https://www.facebook.com/PROJECTBESAFE
Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.splcenter.org/
Learning for Justice https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/our-new-name-learning-for-justice
LGBTQ Resource "The Rainbow Connection" https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JSxSAnPTrvFpEN5BYnFz25I7gT82lOx-7f_XjcZNmUg/edit -
MHDD Digital Storytelling Series: Sean's Story
Sean Sullivan is a man with Autism living in Santa Ana, California, where we directs a non-profit organization called, I Know Autism! He creates videos, roleplaying scripts, and social media discussion functions to help people with disabilities overcome issues with mental health. His website, http://iknowautism.org/ provides links, resources, and of course, episodes of Sean’s podcast to anyone with access to the world wide web. He is currently working on finding partners and stakeholders to help progress the work of his non-profit foundation and wants to help people with Autism and other disabilities find their purpose! -
MHDD Digital Storytelling Series: María's Story
In this episode, we hear from María about her experience in Mexico as the parent of a child with a disability and how it led her to continue her education in psychology. She talks about education laws in her country, what her experience with the school system has been like, and how it has affected her son’s outlook on pursuing his education. María also talks about her son’s strengths and the positive interactions they’ve had with a medical provider.
En este episodio, escuchamos a María sobre su experiencia en México como madre de un niño con discapacidad y cómo la llevó a continuar su educación en psicología. Habla sobre las leyes de educación en su país, cómo ha sido su experiencia con el sistema escolar y cómo ha afectado la perspectiva de su hijo para continuar su educación. María también habla sobre las fortalezas de su hijo y las interacciones positivas que han tenido con un proveedor médico. -
MHDD Digital Storytelling Series: Campbell's Story
This episode features Campbell, a girl from Kentucky living with Bohring Opitz syndrome, sometimes referred to as BOS. It is a rare condition that presents many genetic, developmental, and behavioral unknowns. Michelle is her mother and caretaker and believes her time as an Occupational Therapist was what truly prepared her for the task of raising Campbell. Over the years, organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Bohring Opitz Foundation, and many others have impacted her life – and since partnered with Campbell and Michelle in an effort to raise awareness for others with the same and similar disabilities. -
MHDD Digital Storytelling Series: Berenice’s Story
In this episode, Berenice talks about how having an interpreter sooner could have helped when she received her daughter’s diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis. Berenice also discusses challenges she had with the school, the misplaced guilt she felt, and how she uses her experiences to help other parents.
En este episodio, Berenice habla de cómo tener un intérprete a tiempo podría haberla ayudado cuando recibió el diagnóstico de esclerosis tuberosa de su hija. Berenice también analiza los desafíos que tuvo con la escuela, la culpa fuera de lugar que sintió y cómo usa sus experiencias para ayudar a otros padres. -
MHDD Digital Storytelling Series: Jeiri's Story
Jeiri Flores is a 30-year-old woman living in Western New York. She lives with Cerebral Palsy and Spastic Quadriplegia and serves her community as an advocate for herself and others. As a child, she was categorized into an outdated historical grouping of people previously referred to as Mongoloids. This is a completely offensive and inaccurate diagnosis, and it puts into perspective just how much we have changed as a society in the last two decades in terms of tolerance to people with disabilities. But, like many individuals with disabilities and the organizations that support them, Jeiri knows there is still much work to be done to reach true acceptance of all people in our communities. Jeiri has conquered many obstacles in life, taken trips to amazing places with incredible friends, and is inspired by the work of historical civil rights activists.
