This post is taking a look at the series of tweets from one of the panelists of this year's #NoShameDay. Chakka Reeves with social media handle +freedomreeves is a digital storyteller with an educational background, social justice lens and a mental library of media references.
Chakka has created digital storytelling campaigns for organizations such as Community TV Network, BlackStar Film Festival and Art Sanctuary in Philadelphia PA. Chakka is the Creative Director of Eighth House Creative LLC, a media production and marketing company that has produced short videos for TEDxPhilly, Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and other small companies and organizations.
Her work as an educator and educational consultant includes clients such as After School Matters, Alternative Schools Network (Chicago), Columbia College Chicago’s Convergence Academies Program and School of the Art Institution’s Continuing Education Department.
In addition to advising, teaching and producing video and digital content, Chakka is an avid essayist. Her written work has been featured in publications such as The Root, Black Girl in Om, The Lighthouse, as well as her own personal blog, Freedomreeves.com.
Chakka has also ventured into building web platforms for artists and creatives. Her latest project is Highwater Magazine (http://www.gethighwater.com), an email-based publication designed for curious creators who seek inspiration across mediums and disciplines. Chakka believes that be it music, film, photography, writing, fashion or design, sharing great work makes us better.
In a warm up to the event, a question was asked by the moderator of the @blkcreatives Twitter handle. "Why do you think mental health is so under discussed in our communities?"
Her answer was,
"It's really hard to describe mental illness if you've never experienced it. Many people think it's solely about emotions. Depression hurts. It's a dull, pervasive, constant aching. It's no appetite, which makes the physical pain worse.
A1:
Creative work (writing, producing, teaching) gives me agency, which combats the hopelessness I feel when I'm depressed.
"The Creative Cure" is about how creativity promotes mental health.
Working with your hands yields more benefits.On the flip side, staring at a blank doc can send me spiraling. I know my writers can relate.
I give myself permission to suck. I write "make a bad draft" on my to-do list. Looking at the draft like...
Get them words OUT. By any means!
A2:
I don't know the stats, but I think creativity can lend itself to non-conformity, and feeling misunderstood.
Creatives are also likely to have an unconventional schedule, which removes structures that would normally hide issues.
For example, there were days that I got out of bed because I had to. I had a boss. Freelancing removed that structure and when the structure of a 9-5 was removed, my mental health declined for a while.
The space between seeing our vision and executing on them can be huge. Crossing through that is often tumultuous.
A3:
I think that biopics and docs have romanticized the "downfall" period that creatives face. If your challenges are preventing you from having the health/relationships/career/life you want, seek help.
If you get to the point when your mental/physical/emotional functioning is impaired, seek help.There is a difference between struggle and despair. Challenges are to be expected. Hopelessness is not.
A4:
This may not be for everyone, but over the last 2-3 yrs I've committed myself to learning about my "shadow self".
All of the things about myself that I'm tempted to hide, or the things that REALLY irritate me about others...?
Those are things about myself that I don't want to acknowledge, things that I think that people won't accept about me.
What you resist, persists. A lot of my "triggers" are things I haven't accepted about myself.
A5:
Do it organically and on your own time. Artists have a duty to reflect our times, not necessarily to report them.
Don't succumb to pressure to prove you're "woke". Respond to trauma/ tragedy on your own time.
Personally, I'm a controlling Scorpio, so I like to go through a meaning-making process before I share work rooted in trauma.
I like to truly understand the trauma. I'm transparent about trauma in my work, but rarely while it's happening.
A6:
They have to be ready for help, and they need to see a professional. You can support them, but you can't help them alone.
Definitely check in, and as a community, agree that no one will be allowed to "drop off" w/o contact.
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