13 Brave Storytellers. One Life-Changing Event
Updated: Mar 1
PRESS RELEASE: Fight Stigma. Build Hope. One Story at a Time.
This Is My Brave - Heart Truth: Mental Health Stories from the Deaf Community
Press Release Visuals
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[white background] text: Press Release: Fight Stigma. Build Hope. One Story at a Time. small text: This Is My Brave - Heart Truth: Mental Health Stories from the Deaf Community
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[description from left to right horizontal, three rows] Image description: 13 headshots of storytellers
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Photo Image one: [gray with woody horizontal stripe background] almond brown-skinned female dark straightened short length hair, wearing pink business suit with white blouse, smiling.
Photo image two: [black and white photo] image of a male’s side of the face, wearing shaded glasses, kangaroo hat and light jacket.
Photo image three: [black background] medium brown-skinned female black long wavy hair wearing black shoulder strap, slightly smiling
Photo image four: [city bridge background with pride rainbow edge around the image] white female long blonde hair, wearing black glasses and scarf, slightly smiling.
Photo image five: [white background] white male wearing black glasses, short salt and pepper hair, black sweater and white t-shirt, arms on his hip slightly smiling.
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Photo six: [background: olive-green with a small picture of a teddy bear on the wall] brown-skinned short hair twisted corn-row, wearing gold earrings, smizing and smiling.
Photo image seven: [outdoor background with grey bricks and a tree on the side] white person with short brown hair, wearing a blazer and white business shirt with sleeves pulled up, smiling
Photo image eight: [black background] brown-skinned male long micro-locs shaved sides, wearing black v-neck shirt, smiling.
Photo image nine: image [teal background with white highlight black text: This Is My Brave, Left text: Heart Brave right image: sign language handshape: GIVE. Text: Stories from the Deaf Community
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Photo image ten: [white background] brown-skin female black long braids half-ponytail, wearing blue jeans blouse, and silver studs.
Photo image eleven: [yellow background] brown skinned male from Nigeria Africa wearing African attire with brimless, short, and rounded cap, smiling and two I-love-you handshape.
Photo image twelve: [red background] white female, long brown hair, wearing white cruise cap, two pears hanging earrings, and a turtleneck stars blouse, smiling.
Photo image thirteen: [black background] dark-skinned female dyed fade-haircut, wearing white leotard and silver triangular earrings, slightly smiling.
Photo image fourteen: [glass window background] brown-skinned female hair-styled locs wearing black shirt, holding one arm up slightly next to her face, smiling
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[white background] large text: 13 brave storytellers: small text: one life changing events]
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WATERTOWN, MA - Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 7:00pm – The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts -- DEAFinitely, Inc. and This Is My Brave (TIMB) present the groundbreaking show “This Is My Brave - Heart Truth: Mental Health Stories from the Deaf Community”. For one night only, thirteen Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing storytellers will share their personal stories of mental illness and recovery to break down stigma, uncover access barriers in the mental health system and celebrate the resilience of the Deaf community using American Sign Language storytelling, art, and dance.
Featuring storytellers not only from New England, but from across the US, Canada and Nigeria, this live stage production will center on the storytellers, their stories and the deep understanding that there is a significant need for an evening like this in the Deaf community.
To achieve this production, the Heart Truth Production Team, led by DEAFinitely, Inc. Executive Director, Jamie Robinson and show Director, Shira Grabelsky, are working with The Mosesian Center for the Arts to design a theater experience for storytellers that is seamless in communication and accessibility. The show will be primarily in American Sign Language, with Deaf and Deafblind interpreting to ensure full access for the cast and audience members. Captioning and spoken language interpretation will also be available in English and Spanish. The theater has physically accessible entrances and seating, as well as an elevator to navigate between floors. This show is for ages 15 and up.
“To have the space to share our experiences, our narratives is a privilege that I recognize. I am grateful to do so with this group - This Is My Brave (TIMB) co-led by Jamie Robinson, founder of DEAFinitely Inc, and her team.” Sarah Morrison, Deafblind Brave Storyteller.
This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors:
The Lenny Zakim Fund The Boston Foundation Gallaudet University Regional Center - East DEAF YES! - UMass Chan Medical School McLean Hospital Northeastern University American Sign Language & Interpreting Education Disability Policy Consortium - My Ombudsman MCDHH - MA Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Boston University - Wheelock Deaf Studies DEAF, Inc. MBHP - MA Behavioral Health Partnership The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts The Ruderman Family Foundation Sign Language Resources Sorenson Whole Child Consulting Deaf Counseling Center My Deaf Therapy DBSAN - DeafBlind Support & Access Network National Deaf Therapy The Urban Jazz Dance Company The Learning Center for the Deaf
Tickets are on sale now at MosesianArts.org. and are offered on a sliding scale, from $13 to $20 including all fees. For EBT cardholders, tickets are $5 per person, and each cardholder can buy up to 4 tickets at that price. All proceeds, after box office fees are donated to DEAFinitely, Inc. Visit www.DEAFinitelyinc.com/hearttruth for more information.
The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts is located at 321 Arsenal Street Watertown, MA.
About DEAFinitely, Inc.
DEAFinitely, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves Deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, deaf-disabled and hearing youth representing multi-lingual, cultural, racial, and economic backgrounds.
DEAFinitely youth learn to communicate and work together as a team, expressing positive messages through dance and American Sign Language (ASL). Connections developed between youth transcend through the performing arts, mobilizing diverse communities of all ages and backgrounds to bridge cultures, languages and differences. Through its Deaf mentoring program, youth engage in regular ASL-rich outlets to deepen connections and develop fundamental skills to interact in the world.
In its programming, DEAFinitely creates opportunities for Deaf youth to learn about themselves, their families, their community and the world through performance and mentoring. Deaf and hearing youth adopt critical thinking skills and learn the benefits of differences, building self-esteem and a deep sense of belonging. For more information, please visit www.DEAFinitelyinc.com.
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 eight years, the nonprofit organization has hosted 82 performances across the United States and in Australia featuring nearly 1,000 storytellers. TIMB has been featured in The Washington Post, O, The Oprah Magazine, Stage-Directions Magazine, and Health 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, and in 2021 TIMB and Principle Pictures launched Brave Takes™, a teen mental health podcast.
For more information about This Is My Brave, visit https://thisismybrave.org or https://youtube.com/thisismybrave.
About The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts
The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts - Located in just six miles from Downtown Boston, The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts (formerly the Arsenal Center for the Arts) is a vibrant multi-disciplinary community arts venue located in Watertown, Massachusetts. This 30,000 sq. ft. former US Army arsenal is home to the 380-seat Main Stage Theater, a 100-seat Black Box theater, Exhibition Galleries, 2 Rehearsal Halls, Education Classrooms, and Resident Artist Studios. Offerings include visual and performing arts productions, classes, and workshops for all ages, literary/art discussions, and world-class theatrical and musical performances. The Center is home to the award-winning Watertown Children’s Theatre as well as New Repertory Theatre, Professional Theatre Company in residence. The Mosesian Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. MosesianArts.org.
CONTACT DATA
Jamie Robinson
DEAFinitely, Inc. - Founder & Director
jrobinson@deafinitelyinc.com
508-450-9228
