Mt. san jacinto college wiwo-q - 11.18.21 - presentation (1)

#Poetry4MentalHealth
@artwithimpact
#WellnessinWords

YOUR FACILITATOR: 1990s Chris
1990s Chris (he/him) is a queer
working class poet and writer, from
Hereford, England, specialising in
ﬁlm and audio. He has performed
at the Royal Albert Hall, and the
Eden Project as well as writing for
BBC sounds, and Channel 4
Random Acts. His work hopes to
start discussion around
masculinity, class, queer identity
and mental health.
IG & Twitter: @1990schris

○ Campus workshops
○ Monthly short ﬁlm competition
○ Short ﬁlm production grants
○ Global community
BROUGHT TO YOU BY

HERE’S THE PLAN
1. Deﬁne our terms
2. Practice a way of expressing ourselves:
Immerse - Explore - Express
3. Share
4. Panel
5. Evaluation (and a chance to enter to win
a $25 Amazon gift card!)

HEADS UP
● Mental health is personal – YOU are the expert on
your own experience
● Talking about our mental health in relation to our
sexual orientations and genders can be intensely
personal
● We are online - this is a public, shared space
● We are recording this session for internal training
and evaluation purposes
● Please take care of yourself however you need,
including asking for help.

NEED SUPPORT?
Access mental health support throughout this workshop.
Click Shared Notes
To link to online
resources
Private Chat mental health pros.
They are at the top and have * next
to their names
#1 #2

3 WAYS TO ENGAGE
We welcome your participation
CHAT BOX: Use the
Public Chat to connect
with the whole group
#1

POLL: respond
to a Poll when
prompted
#2
Set Your Status by
clicking on your name
and selecting from
the drop-down menu
#3
3 WAYS TO ENGAGE
We welcome your participation

If you need tech
support, ask…
Look for the person whose name begins with
AWI Support and Private Chat them with any issues.

#Movies4MentalHealth
POLL: Who’s here today?
C
B
Student at Mt.
San Jacinto
College
A
Faculty/staff at
Mt. San Jacinto
College
Somebody else

#Movies4MentalHealth
A California
Another state
Another country
POLL: Where in the world are you?
C
B

HOW ARE YOU, REALLY?
A little anxious, but mostly excited
stressed but thats the norm at the moment
A bit tired
Feeling good!
Great!
Excited for what we're going to see and do today
Good, i have a cat!!

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE
DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH?
None
A B
C D
E
Unfamiliar
Very Familiar
Familiar
Expert

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental illness
Mental wellness
MENTAL HEALTH

LGBTQIA+
In the chat share as many words that you can think of
that you associate with the LGBTQIA+ / Queer community.
home
safety
Rainbow
Pride
Strong
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, Queer,
Intersex, Asexual
United
authenticity
unity
integrity
Support
family

WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO THE
LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY?
I’m not connected to the community
I have friends in the community
I am part of the community
A
B
C

THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
We are considering anyone who’s
gender identity is anything other
than cisgender and anyone who’s
sexual orientation is anything
other than heterosexual to be part
of the community.

LGBTQIA+ OR QUEER?
● For this workshop we will use the
terms interchangeably during
this session.
● For this session I will use Queer
as an umbrella term that refers
to all those in the LGBTQIA+
acronym.

A None
C
B
D
I mean, a little in
school, maybe?
I’ve written a
bit here and
there...
I write poetry all
the time!
WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE
WITH WRITING POETRY?

POETRY
For this workshop we’ll deﬁne
poetry as a condensed
expression of your thoughts or
feelings
Anything you put to paper with
intention can be poetry

IMMERSE, EXPLORE, EXPRESS
As a group, we will immerse ourselves in 2
short ﬁlms from our OLIVE Film Collection.
Together, we will explore the themes brought
up in the ﬁlms through discussion.
Individually, we will express our thoughts
and feelings through writing exercises to
create poetry as a response.

Round 1

FACTORY TALK
BY LUCIE RACHEL & 1990S CHRIS
Voices With Impact 2020
Immerse
Content heads up: homophobia, biphobia, toxic masculinity

I related to that so much...
I liked the poetry but I personally just haven't felt that. I don't
feel bad that I am bi.
Feel that weight on my chest everyday
I feel like trap and wants freedom
It reminds me so much of my life
Its hard to understand that weight and the experiences of
others even though I'm part of the community, in that regard
trying to discover himself. trying ﬁnd out by doing small talk
"small talk" can become an identity when you're made to be
afraid to explore authenticity
So hard to not feel safe or acceptable to acknowledge self
Immerse

SCENARIO
Put yourself in the position of our bisexual
factory worker.
Explore
CHAT BOX
Your co-worker tells you he doesn’t agree
with people being gay. How do you
respond?

Explore
Your co-worker tells you he doesn’t agree with
people being gay. How do you respond?
I would probably try to avoid him and avoid discussion with him regardless.
That might not be possible in that situation, but I would just try to ignore
them.
I’d probably just nod and dodge the question
I think it would depend on the company policy for me. I would want to stand
up for myself, but I also just don't have the energy to do so sometimes
I am deﬁnitely confrontational, probing why they think the way they do
when people bring it up for no reason i literally just stand there, like.... are we
really doing this?
I really don't think I am going to convince him to change his mind
I was in the service and had friends serving during "don't ask, don't tell" who
could lose their jobs for being queer. That is no longer the case, but there is
still so much stigma. Being treated differently because of who I choose to
love just sucks.
we are in the middle of the work day and you're taking your time to be
hateful?? please just wipe down a counter or something

Take a breath.
Explore

FREE WRITE
“They Say”
Express

WRITING DEBRIEF
How did that feel?
Did you write anything that
surprised you?
Express

FIND THE SCULPTURE
“They Say”
Express

Let’s share!
Express
They say they want to know you
That’s not really true
What they really want to see
is whether you’re like them or me
They say Rome wasn't built in a day
But that is not the "they" I hear
My ears are ﬁlled with those who say
Will you be our unicorn?
I know it would ruin your relationship
It's just a phase, you'll grow out of it
I grew into it and became the truest version of myself
You care too much
I love to much to not care
You just like the attention
I want to live in serenity
You are going to die old and alone
I will die loved and at peace
It doesn't matter what they say...
I am here to stay

Let’s share!
Express
They say I am a Sinner
A Pedophile, a Choice
I am what is Wrong.
They say I should Change
I am a Disorder
I deserve their Violence.
But why must I Change?
Why should I endure your Hate?
Why should I have to mold to your Malice?
What They say, does not phase me.
They say that I can’t domesticate
and utilize ﬂeas to help enable chaos.
They say
This is venom running through the veins!
can we purify this poison in our veins?
people talk weather in truth or lies
it is the same, because the truth no matter what.
People can say good and things.
it is how you analyze it.
people talk
sometimes too much or
too little.

Let’s share!
Express
They say it’s better to shut your mouth.
But to be honest, I decided I wasn’t going to be a doormat in seventh grade,
When my biggest problems were petty words and thinly veiled jealousy.
So now I just let whatever I think first come out,
An air of confidence settles over my tone,
And my mouth lifts in one corner.
I make eye contact.
I am the biggest force in the room, and I like it that way.
My interactions have been defined by feral flashes of teeth,
Around blood and iodine,
Tastes of peroxide,
And sharp edges.
I am not hurt by noncommital insults on the basis of things they do not understand.
It is not my job to treat them kindly,
But I am no avenging angel.
I chew glass in every argument, ready to spit as soon as they are within range.
Maybe I am wrong for the way I handle the aliens of these conversations.
At the end though it is important to note that
I bite my tongue when I eat crow.
and I roll my eyes when someone grips my chin and forces me to swallow it.

Round 2

STAGING FACE
BY STEPH YOUNG, JAKE IVANY & VIE JONES
Voices With Impact 2020
Immerse
Content heads up: discussion of depression, anxiety,
transphobia, misgendering

Overwhelmed, curious, seen
Feeling very seen right now. I didn't realize others felt that way
feeling pretty good, i liked the film! feel like making drag something more queer
folks can experience to get in touch w/ their gender identity would be awesome
Having the freedom to dream... That line just encapsulated so many emotions for
me
Feeling happy, nostalgic about my friends in the queer community who do drag
not apart of the community, but I really feel for the people!
I don't know if it's just me but I thought initially drag was for gays... i feel like the
film broadened my persepective (im genderfluid :) )
Immerse

SCENARIO
Think about the struggles
of these three characters.
Explore
CHAT BOX
Why do we, as a society, resist
seeing people’s true selves?
It’s taken a lot to reject traditional notions of
gender and ﬁnd recognition. People hold very
tightly to these traditional ideas.

Explore
Why do we, as a society, resist
seeing people’s true selves?
People are afraid of things they don't understand
I think seeing someone who is not the same as what they've experienced
or grown up around makes people uncomfortable
some people dont want to think outside the box when it comes to gender
and sex when it comes to "how things have always been"
I think they're often afraid of what it brings up inside them.
Change also scares a lot of people- maintaining familiarity are people's
top priority, especially if they aren't apart of the group advocating for
change
People would rather people be like them rather than be authentic
"new" and "change" are scary concepts for a lot of people, and that fear
causes people to reject it or openly try to destroy it to maintain their own
sense of security and sense of self

Take a breath.
Immerse

FREE WRITE
“They See”
Express

FIND THE SCULPTURE
“They See”
Immerse

Let’s share!
Immerse
They see what I see - it's me
although we see the same person.
wait second lets rewind the saying
They only see what I want them to see
to me I am happy and content.
I may be in scars, calm, sensitive
but that isn't the whole story.
Question? what do you see?
that's right only,
what I want them to see!
They see only with their eyes
They don’t realize they are blind
What they don’t see is shown
In the clubs that they won’t go
They see everything but me
They see my identity, my body, my essence, my very soul...As a choice
They are confused or offended or scared
When they see a beard on a "woman's" face or
breasts on a "man's" body
They see sinners, criminals - sickness and danger
They see someone to ﬁght
A target for their hate
A threat to their own identities
I wear a mask to control what "they" see.

Let’s share!
Immerse
The cavern that was left behind looks back at
me in polished steel.
My eyes are angry,
And so the wrath leaks out of my ﬁngertips,
Out of my nose, ears and mouth.
I do not cry, and I do not hide.
My body is wrote about in short fragments,
Ideas created to peddle a mythical story,
That writes my defense as a massacre.
I should be muzzled.
My throat is wrung dry from screaming at my
captors, at the visitors who have bought
tickets to my demise.
Have I earned this?
Earned becoming a gladiator on a world
stage.
Earned being smacked, because I bite the
hands that feed me.
I am winner
But I am a mess of bed
seeds,
Sour apples,
And rotted meat.
They see a hero of violence.
I see a corpse.
I disagree,
with almost every line they
write about me.
But when They see a
monster?

Let’s share!
Immerse
They see freaks
They see what “needs” to be
Rather then how things are
They see monstrosities,
Impurities,
The devil in disguise
They ask questions
That poke us and prod us
Trying to make fun of us
How could you be another gender just by
playing dress up?
They don’t understand
As they are all going blind
They don’t see my feelings,
my emotions,
my sense of identity
Wearing the wrong clothes,
it’s misaligned,
And I am wanting to scream
They should see me the way I want to be seen
They should see beyond my clothes and
gender assigned at birth
They should just see people around them;
not boys and girls
You can’t assume someone’s identity,
orientation,
nor pronouns
I know
People are afraid of what they don’t
understand
That change scares a lot of people
That they don’t want to have to think outside
of the box
But it's too late for those of us outside of the
box,
Out of the closet
Because Bill 2 is threatening to out all my
transgender friends
Because when someone sees female on paper
Looking up to see male in person
Things will blow up in our faces

What can we do, both as allies and as
members of the community, to make
positive change?
Education! Talk about it openly and honestly as much
as possible. It humanizes the entire community and
helps people feel seen and heard
Respect each other , educate our selves
Positive change means being open to new ideas, and be
willing to go the long route for the right actions.
Explore

FREELY &
DELIBERATELY
“What Can We Do?”
Immerse

Let’s share!
Immerse
You can educate yourself
And the people all around you
Help us ﬁght back
Help indigenous peoples get their land back
Sign a petition to help stop bill 2
It’s the least you can do
My best friend is burning out
And terriﬁed of losing her rights
Help me help you
Help me help others
Help me help myself
It’s a win win situation
We need to make it better
For all groups suffering injustices
I want to make a world a better place
I can only do so much
I’m helping provide a safe space at school
Running the queer club of the school
Alongside other amazing folx
Please pitch in
Make yourself proud
So that we can have pride
And not be afraid

Let’s share!
Immerse
Positive change can be defined by small things in tiny towns
Or by larger actions in courtrooms
Or in coliseums of culture,
Like clubs and museums,
Like churches,
And every place a song is sung or a book is read.
Positive change can be comfortable silence between parents
and children,
Between couples midway through discovery,
And cheeky smiles exchanged over classrooms.
Positive change is not always defined by landslide actions
It can be defined by smiles instead of frowns
And opened doors instead of closed ones.

Let’s share!
Immerse
What can we do?
can we change the world?
little by little.
Rome wasn't built in a day
we are doing everything quite well.
no need to push harder;
alone time to speak
reason for i just pop in the radar
expose yourself as,
good individuals
What can we do?
I know what got me through
I wasn't alone, though I felt I was
People found me and helped because
Pain is a universal experience
So why not simplify this?
Be there for your friends
but also hold space for a stranger
Listening can turn ends
Into beginnings, take away the danger
Then stand up to speak and say,
That all the suffering is not okay
Do everything you can
To be loud and proud and take a stand

You can take this process forward…
Immerse
Explore
Express

AWI: Continued Connections
Exclusive community events and spaces
Arts-based discussion trainings
Interview and discussion opportunities
Weekly art + wellness prompts
Click the link in the chat to learn more!

MEET THE PANEL
bit.ly/wiw-q-msjc
Carmina Hernandez (she/her)
Social Service Planner, Prevention and Early Intervention, Riverside
University Health System - Behavioral Health
Amy Salas (she/her/hers)
Therapist Trainee, MSJC Student Health Center
Cameron Bartosiewicz (he/him)
President, Youth Pride Association

Please ﬁll out the evaluation!
@artwithimpact
info@artwithimpact.org
You can enter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!
If you are receiving credit for attending this workshop, at the end of the
evaluation, you’ll be prompted to add your information to a sign-in
sheet.
Evaluation responses will remain separate and anonymous.

Virtual Mingle/Panel Q&A
Ask a question or share a thought!
You can raise your hand (see image below) to be given
instructions to audio in, use the public chat box, or
send a private message to AWI Support / a panelist.

Stay in touch!
Sign up for Continued
Connections!
...and don’t forget to copy/paste the
resources in the Shared Notes!
@artwithimpact
info@artwithimpact.org

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