Artist Statement:
For our concerned citizen project we interviewed a young woman who co-founded an organization with her friend to help out people who suffer from mental illness. Cami, the woman we interviewed, is very aware of the inadequate structures or lack thereof needed to help those who are struggling. Her organization is created purely out of the goodness of her heart because she knows personally what it is like to be improperly treated as someone with a mental illness. She seeks through her work to encourage and support those who need it through advocacy. She wants society to be aware that people are still human beings, even when they are suffering internally with a mental issue. Her organization is about bringing about awareness to the truth of what mental illness is and in turn inspire those around her to be more patient, kind, and considerate towards those who are struggling. Cami is aware of the social and political injustices that occur in the lives of mentally suffering individuals. She states clearly that people have physical problems are allowed far more treatment and care than people with mental problems, when in fact the mental issues are more damaging and take longer to heal than the physical ones. That is why she wants to freely help those who cannot help themselves. Her work reminds me of summer camps that kids go to for medical reasons to learn that despite whatever disability or seeming disadvantage, they learn through activities, encouragement and help that they can be whole and do whatever they want to if the set their minds to it. If they believe in themselves and have others believe in them they can be truly successful and whole. As Arlene Goldbard said, “Rights are mere abstractions without the means to implement them.” This is something that Cami is very aware of and that is why she is so altruistic and helps those that she can. She has made herself the means by which people can rightly get treatment for their problems.
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