This Is My Brave - Stories from the APIDA Community

A Virtual Show Featuring Asian Pacific
Islander Desi American Storytellers
MONDAY NOVEMBER 15

AND
PRESENTS THE UPCOMING FILM
BRAVE TEENS
Teens today are at the center of a mental health epidemic
in America. Anxiety, trauma, depression, eating disorders
and addiction are responsible for the highest rates of
suicide ever recorded among young people.
BRAVE TEENS is a documentary film focused on teenagers
who say they’re the generation to put an end to mental
health stigma. To do it, they’re telling their own stories –
raw and unfiltered. From skyrocketing rates of anxiety and
depression to the impacts of racial and intergenerational
trauma, these teens share their struggles and triumphs
and carry a powerful message: Storytelling Saves Lives.
COMING MAY 2022
BRAVE TEENS is a production of Principle Pictures for WETA
in partnership with Well Beings, a major public media, multiplatform
campaign from WETA committed to demystifying
and de-stigmatizing our physical and mental health
through storytelling. BRAVE TEENS features storytellers
from This Is My Brave, an organization committed to destigmatizing
mental health issues through live storytelling
and scientific research.

Lead Producer
Marketing/PR Coordinator
Marketing/PR Coordinator
Fidelity Partner
Mental Health Professional
This Is My Brave
Video Editing
Claudia Matteo
Van Duong
Chien-Chi Huang
Lisa Mengqi Li
Tammy George, LCSW
Jennifer Marshall
Erin Gallagher
Katie Grana
Jon Beeby, Mid-Coast Media
“Tell Them I’m Brave” Music and Lyrics by
Natalie Layne
Phoebe Scott
This Is My Brave - Stories from the APIDA Community Show
is proud to support Asian Women for Health. Thanks to the
generous support of sponsors and registrants, we are able to
make a financial donation in honor of this very special event.
www.asianwomenforhealth.org
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 3

DEAR FRIEND,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY!
What a journey it has been since This Is My Brave produced its very first show in Arlington, Virginia, in 2014. I could not
have imagined at that time that we would go on to produce 81 more shows over the next seven years, in 46 cities across
the U.S. and in Australia. Story by story, This Is My Brave is shining a light on mental illness and addiction and helping end
the stigma that has so long surrounded these issues.
No one could have ever imagined what 2020 had in store for us. To say it has been an extremely difficult year and a half
would be an understatement. Beginning with the eruption of the coronavirus and the isolation of stay-at-home orders
-- these past eighteen months have been unprecedented and a struggle in many different ways. Thankfully, we have
been able to pivot our programming to a virtual platform. We kicked off 2021 with our first-ever Stories from the Black
Community virtual shows. In March and April we presented our second season of This Is My Brave - College Edition. And to
cap off a busy Mental Health Awareness month, we presented our first ever National Teen Show virtually. Last month six
of our ten Brave teens took to the stage for a special encore performance in Herndon, VA, in our first show back on stage
since the pandemic hit in March 2020.
Our 2021 programming represents our commitment to raising awareness of mental illness among teens, young adults and
marginalized communities despite our inability to gather in theaters with live audiences. We are so proud to bring these
important stories from the APIDA community into the spotlight via this special virtual production.
I am incredibly honored that Sarah, Emily, Marlon, Sara, Amy, Abby, Rohan and Pata have come together from across
the country to be with us here tonight to share their powerful personal stories. I know their stories will bring a new
understanding of navigating mental health challenges as a member of the APIDA community. Especially now, opening up
conversations about mental health among the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American community through storytelling will
have a lasting impact on all of us.
Every time a story is told — every time we shine a light on mental illness and addiction — we let someone know that they are
not alone. We can give someone the gift of hope and provide them with a sense of community based on shared experiences.
YOU ARE A VITALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS STORY, TOO.
Mental illness does not discriminate. It could happen to you. It could happen to
someone you love. Because it’s so common, you would think we would be comfortable
talking about it. But so often that is not the case, and people often suffer silently with
fear and shame. Together, we can work to end the stigma.
We have come so far in eight years, but we still have so much more work to do.
There are millions more stories to be shared, and we will start by sharing a few
more on the virtual stage here with you tonight.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS JOURNEY.
With gratitude,
4
Jennifer Marshall
Executive Director & Co-Founder

OUR MISSION
THIS IS MY BRAVE BRINGS STORIES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND
ADDICTION OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.
“So much power in real stories of struggle & hope.”
DAWN LITTLEFIELD, AUDIENCE MEMBER, DEKALB SHOW
OUR VISION
SOMEDAY, WE WILL LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE WON’T
HAVE TO CALL IT “BRAVE” FOR TALKING OPENLY ABOUT
MENTAL ILLNESS. WE WILL SIMPLY CALL IT “TALKING.”
This Is My Brave, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the leading platform for individuals to share their stories
of living successful lives despite a diagnosis of a mental health disorder or substance use disorder through artistic
expression on stage in front of a live audience. We’re opening up the conversation about mental health disorders in
communities all across the country.
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 5

THE
SHOW
We believe in the power of storytelling to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness. This
Is My Brave - The Show is a live theater presentation of touching essays, original music, poetry
and comedy created and performed by individuals living with – or loving someone with – a mental
illness. Our storytellers are here to inspire you to find hope in your own challenges or give hope to
someone you love who may be facing similar circumstances. This Is My Brave had the honor
to work with Board member Claudia Matteo and team to produce this unique show featuring
Stories from the APIDA Community as our final production of 2021. Engaging in dialogue about
mental health is tough, but it is essential! And right now, important conversations that address
the consequences of systemic racism and anti-asian hate within the APIDA community must be
amplified. We are especially thankful to partner with a talented team of Asian Pacific Islander Desi
American producers from around the country to create this special {virtual} event.
ORDER OF SHOW
“Korean Spice and Southern Hospitality”
“The Way”
“Starting Over, and Over, and Over”
“Sidecar”
“You Call Me Corona”
“Intergenerational Healing”
“You Can’t Run from Who You Are”
Three Poems
Sarah Brown
Emily Chen
Marlon Deleon
Sara Kunz
Amy Manion
Abby Pasion
Rohan Sharma
Pata Suyemoto
Chat with the cast and This Is My Brave Production team
during and after the show for an interactive experience!
The show will be followed by a 45-minute Q&A panel discussion
with the cast and production team members.
6

BRAVE VIRTUAL AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
Please DO take out your cell phones and SHARE on
your social media platforms that you are watching!
SHARE your favorite lines, takeaways, or the stream itself by using the hashtag
#STORYTELLINGSAVESLIVES and tagging us @THISISMYBRAVE
Help us tell the world that we’re here, and you’re watching!
Laugh at the funny, be comfortable with the sad,
be inspired by the resilience.
Some of the moments can get heavy. We understand.
We hope you watch the whole show to witness the power that storytelling has
in transforming our storytellers - AND YOU - to know that recovery is possible!
SPONSORED BY
THIS IS MY BRAVE’S 2021 NATIONAL SPONSORS
Additional Support provided by Amicus and Bristol Myers Squibb
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 7

TELL THEM I’M
BRAVE
New theme song announcement! After years of licensing the
Sara Bareilles song “Brave” as our unofficial anthem to open
our shows across the US, we felt it was time for a new song to
take center stage. In July 2020, we launched our first singer/
songwriter theme song competition and were so impressed
with the touching songs that came in. Ultimately, we had to
select a final winner, and we landed on “Tell Them I’m Brave”
which was submitted by Natalie Layne and Phoebe Scott,
recent graduates of Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
Be sure to download the song on iTunes!
THIS IS MY BRAVE
MERCH SHOP
Are you looking to add some #BraveGear to your wardrobe?
Check out our new merch shop, and wear your Brave for all
to see! We update the options frequently, so be sure to check
back often. Visit our website to order yours today!
8

A NOTE
FROM THE PRODUCER
I have known Jenn Marshall for years before she co-founded This Is My Brave. I have been so very
proud of her for acknowledging her needs and accepting help. She then went a step further to
openly share what she learned through her lived experiences. The outpouring of support led her to
empathize with the needs of others and offer a platform for everyone to break the stigma and feel
the love that she received. Jenn envisioned to one day live in a world where we don’t have to call it
“brave” for talking openly about mental illness; we’ll simply call it talking and that is what over 900
storytellers, over 17,000 audience members, and over 300,000 YouTube viewers are doing through
This Is My Brave. This is also made possible through the help of Program Managers Erin Gallagher
and Katie Grana who transcribed Jenn’s ideas from her head into the online training that guided the
production team and walking with us each step of the way.
Jenn connected me with Chien-Chi Huang whose organization Asian Women for Health (AWFH) is
the source of much of the talent on the APIDA cast as well as the beneficiary of the donations
after covering the cost of the show. She also serves as the Media Partnership Coordinator with the
network that she has developed through AWFH. Marketing/PR Coordinator Van Duong and Fidelity
Partner Mengqi Li followed up on the leads from Chien-Chi to gather the audition videos and manage
social media. Mental Health Professional Tammy George with whom I serve on the board of This
Is My Brave was available to support in case anyone needed it and she also brought aboard our
Brave Singer Thanh Le. At the National Teen Show, the moment Daijah Montoya spoke Chinese and
shared the negative reactions she has gotten for being able to do so, I knew I had to recruit her as
an honorary member, so that our audience could show her love for her amazing talent. The APIDA
culture of collectivism enabled us all to work as a team to produce the Stories from the Asian Pacific
Islander Desi American (APIDA) Community Show.
As for the stars of the show in alphabetical order by last name and appearance, Sarah Brown, Emily
Chen, Marlon Deleon, Sara Kunz, Amy Manion, Abby Pasion, Rohan Sharma, and Pata Suyemoto bring
so much infectious energy, love, passion, and talent to the APIDA family that we have developed
throughout this collaboration. I am so excited for the opportunity to share their stories through
creative expression like music, spoken word poetry, and storytelling. Their performances represent
the rich, diverse mix of cultures and identities of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA)
community like age, ethnicity, gender, LGBT+, mental health conditions, neurodiversity, veteran, etc.
We are not a monolith!
A great big thank you to our audience members for all of your support!
Claudia Matteo
PMP®, PsyM
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 9

THE
CAST
SARAH BROWN
Sarah Brown (she/her) is diagnosed with bipolar illness
and has been living in recovery for over 5 years. She is a
proud mixed woman of half-Korean and half-Caucasian
heritage. Sarah is currently a Master’s in Social Work
student at North Carolina State University. She lives in
Raleigh, NC with her fiancé and adorable pets. You can
find out more about Sarah at
www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-brown-mswstudent
EMILY CHEN
Emily Chen (she/her) is a Taiwanese American mental
health advocate, educator, and classical singer. She grew
up in Newton, MA and is a graduate of DePauw University.
Emily is the creator and host of DisOrient, a YouTube
series on Asian American mental health, neurodiversity,
and representation. She also writes articles for Project
Harmonious at University of Massachusetts Medical
and ADDitude Magazine. Emily enjoys writing poetry and
songs and looking at trees on walks.
10

MARLON DELEON
Marlon Deleon (he/him) was raised by two Filipino
immigrants in California, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
As soon as he was able, he left the west coast for the
US Navy and grew up in South Carolina and Virginia,
serving aboard a nuclear submarine while doing a lot
of reckless sailor-type things. His journey includes a lot
of pizza and karaoke, as well as addictions, depression,
PTSD, engagements, baptism, marriage, birth, death,
and recently, a diagnosis of Bipolar II. Marlon currently
lives in Indiana with his wife and two toddlers and
strives to serve God, his wife, his kids, and others as
best as he can.
IG: @MarlDele
Twitter: @MarlonDDeleon
Blog: https://normalmarlon.wordpress.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dailyownx4/
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 11

THE
CAST
SARA KUNZ
Sara Kunz (she/her) is the founder of SARA, 501c3 (sexual
assault recovery assistant)​, a nonprofit dedicated to
providing sexual violence survivors with coping tools
through the anonymity and safety of a mobile app. She
has toured the world with her one-woman comedy-circus
show ‘The Flyin Hawaiian Show’, and recently premiered
‘Coconuts, coral, and cowshit’-a one-woman comedy
about mental health and bad life choices. She uses her
skills as a performer to comedically shed light on mental
health, do advocacy work, and build solutions to break the
silence on sexual violence. See her work at sarakunz.com
and her nonprofit SARA at safewithsara.org
AMY MANION
Amy Manion (she/her) is a suicide attempt survivor
who uses arts to heal and to cope with life, including the
challenges that come with being an Asian in America.
She is a co-recipient of New England Foundation for
the Arts’ (NEFA) Public Art for Spatial Justice grant
through Massachusetts-based nonprofit COCO Brown’s
Spitting Fire for Freedom woman of color spoken word
collaborative. She also received a grant from the Mayor’s
Office of Arts and Culture and the City of Boston, created
a film, and shared it with the Chinese elder community
in Boston’s Chinatown, along with performing live her
music and spoken word. It has been the highlight of her
artistic career and she’s grateful to be sharing her story
through This is My Brave.
12

ABBY PASION
Abby Pasion (she/they) is a Filipina American storyteller,
performer, and organizer from Portland, Oregon
(traditional Atfalati and Kalapuya lands). Abby graduated
from Oregon State University in 2019 with her B.A. in
Liberal Studies and minors in Education in Ethnic Studies.
Currently, Abby is working towards her M.Ed in Curriculum
& Instruction at Portland State University. With over
eight years of experience in youth advocacy work,
community outreach, and cultural engagement, Abby’s
dedication to serving and uplifting the underrepresented
voices of her community have been recognized at local,
state, and national levels. Her writings on mental health
and the Filipino diaspora experience has even gained
international attention. Outside of her professional work,
Abby enjoys engaging with various creative passions
such as theatre, digital art, creative writing and poetry.
ROHAN SHARMA
Rohan Sharma (he/him) is a rap artist and professional
speaker from Bucks County, PA. He goes by the stage
name “Rx Mundi” and his debut EP “The Mandela Effect”
was released in 2020, with his lead single called “MANIAC”.
He is currently working on his debut LP titled “Divinorum”
and plans to release it later this year. In addition to this,
his memoir detailing his 23 months spent incarcerated
in the Philadelphia prison system titled “A Very Thin Line:
My Journey With Bipolar” was published in 2019. Last, but
not least, Rohan helps to inspire students through his
personal speaking brand “Speaking of Empowerment...”
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 13

THE
CAST
PATA SUYEMOTO
Dr. Pata Suyemoto (she/her) is a feminist scholar, writer,
educator, diversity trainer, mental health activist,
speaker, jewelry designer, poet, and avid bicyclist. She
earned her PhD. from the University of Pennsylvania
and did her research on anti-racist education and
issues of race and racism. She is the co-chair for the
Greater Boston Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition
and the chair of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide
Prevention (MCSP) Alliance for Equity’s People of Color
Caucus. Pata is one of the authors of Widening the
Lens: Exploring the Role of Social Justice in Suicide
Prevention – A Racial Equity Toolkit. She has spoken
and written about being a suicide attempt survivor, her
struggles with depression and is a co-founder of The
Breaking Silences Project, which is an artistic endeavor
that educates about the high rates of depression and
suicide among Asian American young women. She is
also a long-time volunteer for Asian Women for Health
and is a trainer and wellness coach for the Achieving
Whole Health program. Pata is also member of a number
of boards and committees including the American
Association of Suicidology Board of Directors, MCSP’s
Executive Committee, and the planning committee for
the annual Asian American Mental Health Forum. Her
claim to fame is that she rode her bicycle across the
country in the summer of 2012.
14

BRAVE SINGER
THANH LE
Que-Thanh Le (she/her) is a singer-songwriter, musician,
choir director, producer, and recording artist from
Northern Virginia, although she now spends most of
her time in Saint Augustine, Florida. She is the artistic
director and founder of Heartsongs: Tam Tinh Ca, a
Catholic Vietnamese-American music ministry. She and
her musical siblings co-founded Q3Music LLC to write
and license songs for sync. She is a member of ASCAP.
INTRO INTERPRETER
DAIJAH MONTOYA
Daijah Montoya (she/her) is a high school senior who
is coping with negative thoughts and feelings that
have resulted from being bullied. She struggled to
identify freedom within society and herself as a Black
adolescent. Daijah left her private school to engage
in homeschool learning, to learn from her fiercest
supporter…her Mom. Daijah, who is a talented singer and
linguist, spends much of her time writing and says it is
the most effective way to work through her stress and
boost her self-esteem.
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 15

PRODUCTION
TEAM
LEAD
CLAUDIA MATTEO, PMP®, PSYM
Claudia Matteo (she/her) has been a Project/Program
Manager at IBM for over 22 years and an active advocate
for mental health and diversity equity inclusion
(DEI). In addition to a BS in Computer Science and
Technical Communications and an MS in Industrial and
Organizational Psychology, she is trained in Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Mental Health First Aid,
Sources of Strength, Opioid Overdose and Naloxone
Education (OONE), and Pathways to Justice for Persons
with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD).
Claudia presented a Mental Health Return to Learn
Safety Net resolution that was unanimously passed
and launched within a month in Virginia. She received
a Youth Education Champion Award for educating youth,
organizations, and families on how to identify and
address signs of suicide and mental health conditions
as Lead Presenter of the Ending the Silence program
at National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Northern
Virginia and also serves as a Board Member and Family
Support Group Facilitator. As Board Chair of This Is My
Brave, she collaborates with the Trauma-Informed
Community Network (TICN) and the Loudoun Human
Services Network (LHSN) to ensure availability and
access to human services.
16

MARKETING/PR COORDINATOR
VAN DUONG
Van Duong (she/her) is a proud Vietnamese-American
immigrant. Through witnessing both her own mental health
journey and those of her loved ones, she is passionate
about advocating for mental health awareness and
healing for the APIDA community. Van currently serves as
a member on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
and the staff advisor for Asian Student Union at Marymount
University. She also loves creative and artistic expression,
storytelling, and her two pets, Rocky and Tiger.
MARKETING/PR COORDINATOR
CHIEN-CHI HUANG
Chien-Chi Huang (she/her) is the founder of the Asian
Breast Cancer Project and the Executive Director of
Asian Women for Health. Ms. Huang’s personal cancer
journey led her to participate in national as well as
local efforts on health equity and racial justice. Her
remarkable passion for the community has changed
the healthcare landscape for Asian women and created
a pipeline of future leaders and peer health educators.
Articles
https://www.lbbc.org/node/5882
https://cbaspeakersbureau.com/2011/03/chien-chi-huang/
Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/triple-negative-breast-cancerinterview-chien-chi-huang/id1441928699?i=1000449959850
https://robbiesamuels.com/ots-166-help-others-rise-chien-chi-huang/
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 17

PRODUCTION
TEAM
FIDELITY PARTNER
LISA MENGQI LI
Mengqi (pronounced “men-chi”) Li (she/her) is a Masters
of Social Work candidate at George Mason University.
She has worked with survivors of sexual violence at the
Orange County Rape Crisis Center, and completed her
first-year clinical internship at the St. Jude’s Project
of Catholic Charities, providing cognitive, somatic, and
emotional support to clients living with terminal illness.
Mengqi’s clinical interests include trauma, depression,
anxiety, identity, and relationships especially for
immigrant and Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC)
young adults. She is particularly interested in the
somatic effects of racial trauma and the potential for
body-centric practices to facilitate racial healing. Mengqi
serves as a Graduate Assistant in Student Engagement
for Racial Justice at GMU, working primarily with Asian
Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) students and is a
CSWE Minority Fellow. Mengqi is a certified yoga teacher,
currently completing a meditation teacher training in
mindfulness-based approaches to emotional healing.
As a 1.5 generation immigrant, Mengqi enjoys her native
food and culture, dancing, writing, being in nature, and
caring for her foster cats.
18

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
TAMMY GEORGE, LCSW, MSW
Tammy George (she/her) has a master’s degree in
clinical social work and is a Licensed Clinical Social
Worker. Tammy has worked in a variety of outpatient,
inpatient, residential, substance abuse treatment, and
crisis intervention settings, and is currently an Adjunct
Professor of Social Work at George Mason University.
Tammy also serves on the Board of This is My Brave.
In her twenty-nine-year career in community mental
health, she has worked to improve mental health
policies, provide strength-based interventions, increase
treatment modalities, and worked to shift beliefs
regarding mental health stigmas. Tammy is excited to
be part of the production team for the Stories from the
APIDA community show.
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 19

2021 SHOWS / EVENTS
SEASON 1 OF BRAVE TAKES PODCAST
LAUNCHES NOV 23RD
BRAVETV - SPECIAL EDITIONS: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE
“Because of the show, I am thinking of giving
treatment and counseling another try.”
SHERRY, AUDIENCE MEMBER, BALTIMORE SHOW
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EVENT REGISTRATION INFORMATION!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR NEW MONTHLY VIRTUAL
CONTENT SUCH AS BRAVETV AND BRAVE BEYOND THE STAGE!
LET’S
GET SOCIAL!
Want to share your experience at This Is My Brave with others?
Tag @THISISMYBRAVE and be sure to use one of our favorite hashtags when posting:
#STORYTELLINGSAVESLIVES
20

IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE HELP
PLEASE CALL 911
THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION
LIFELINE IS:
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
SUICIDEPREVENTIONLIFELINE.ORG
TAKE A MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING...
IT’S EASY AND FREE!
THE CRISIS TEXT LINE CAN BE ACCESSED
BY TEXTING:
BRAVE TO 741-741
Taking a mental health screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing
symptoms of a mental health condition.
Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common, and treatable. And recovery is possible.
We are thrilled to partner with Mental Health America, which offers 10 mental health screens. You can share your
results with your physician or health care provider.
TAKE A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL SCREENING
TODAY BY VISITING:
HTTP://BIT.LY/BRAVESCREEN
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 21

THIS IS MY BRAVE
LEADERSHIP
Photo credit: Alicia Bruce
JENNIFER MARSHALL
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Jenn (she/her) was diagnosed with Type 1 Bipolar Disorder in 2006 at the age
of 26. She’s had four hospitalizations within five years – two in 2005 before
any diagnosis was reached, and two more because she was trying to protect
her newborn son (postpartum psychosis) in 2008 and her unborn daughter in
2010 – and all were because she was unmedicated at the time. Writing her way
through life with a mental illness became her way of healing, and her awardwinning
blog BipolarMomLife became an inspiration to many. Jenn created
This Is My Brave because she learned first hand how powerful and therapeutic
it was to live openly and not hide her diagnosis. She wanted to give brave
individuals from the community a platform through which to creatively share
their stories of living with mental illness to educate and inspire others. She
lives outside Washington, DC with her husband and two children.
Photo credit: Shoot Photo Inc.
ANNE MARIE AMES, In Memoriam
Co-Founder
Anne Marie held a variety of PR and strategic communications positions
throughout her career, but her favorite job was creating and producing This
Is My Brave. She found her passion and her mission – to help others share
their stories – and made tremendous contributions to the organization from
launching the initial concept to strategizing on growth and expansion over the
four years of her tenure. Anne Marie’s sudden passing on August 23, 2017, was
a shock to the many who loved her, and she is deeply missed.
ERIN GALLAGHER
Program Manager
Erin (she/her) is proud to be a part of the This is My Brave team as Program
Manager. Following the suicide of her son, Jay, in 2016, Erin and her husband
became passionate mental health advocates and have worked tirelessly to
influence policy on appropriate responses, particularly in the public schools,
to suicide warning signs. She is looking forward to working with This Is My
Brave volunteers towards ending the stigma associated with mental health
and substance use disorders in honor of Jay. When Erin is not working, she
enjoys spending time at her alma mater, James Madison University, visiting
her oldest daughter, Lindsay, who is currently a Senior majoring in nursing.
She also loves logging hours with husband Tim while watching fast-pitch
softball played by her youngest, Laurenne, who is a freshman at Mt. St. Mary’s
University in Emmitsburg MD.
22

KATIE GRANA
Program Manager
Katie (she/her) was diagnosed with PTSD-induced anxiety and depression after
being robbed at gunpoint in 2010. Not really understanding how trauma can
have such powerful mental and physical effects, her tipping point was losing a
friend in a car accident the following year. She spent her 20’s redefining herself
and learning to heal through trauma. Katie found This is My Brave after a close
friend died by suicide in June 2018 and quickly decided to produce a show. This
is My Brave was something she wanted to share with her community. When a
full time position opened up with This is My Brave, Katie knew it was time to
move from the corporate world back to her roots in nonprofit. Katie lives in
St. Louis MO with her two dogs. She volunteers as a coach for an all girls high
school racquetball team. She loves spending time with her friends and family
- especially her niece and nephew.
ABOUT THIS IS MY BRAVE
Board of Directors
Alicia Henry
Claudia Matteo
Tammy George, LCSW
Ric Waldman
Jessica Kennedy
Dr. Kyaien Connor
Erin Mattingly, SLP
Dr. LaGenia Bailey
Advisory Board
Doreen Gentzler
Dr. Mark Komrad
Dr. Robert Post
Hayley Sherwood, PhD
Staff
Jennifer Marshall, Executive Director
Erin Gallagher, Program Manager
Katie Grana, Program Manager
Heather Strobel, Development Consultant
Natasha West, Social Media Consultant
Richard Tovell, Graphic Designer
Show Producers 2021:
Dr. Kya Conner & Dr. Tonicia Freeman-Foster
Stories from the Black Community
Audrey Grubb
College Edition
Jennifer Marshall & Erin Gallagher
National Teen Show
Claudia Matteo
Stories from the APIDA Community
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 23

THIS IS MY BRAVE
HISTORY
FROM A BLOG TO A SHOW
In August of 2011, more than six years after Jennifer
Marshall’s bipolar disorder first surfaced, she decided
to start a blog. It became a place where she turned to
write about her life as a wife and young mom to two
small kids, and writing helped her begin to heal. She
titled it: Bipolar Mom Life. Jennifer wrote anonymously
at first, because she was afraid of being judged. She
also worried that disclosing her mental illness may make
future employment opportunities difficult. For eighteen
months, Jennifer wrote and found community online.
Other writers who were openly sharing their stories of
overcoming mental illness inspired her, and when she
landed her first paid writing job, Jennifer decided to stop
hiding behind a pen name.
When WhatToExpect.com published her first article with
Jennifer’s byline, it was also picked up by AOL.com (the
parent company). The outpouring of support and gratitude
when that piece hit the Internet with her real name was
overwhelming. She knew immediately that disclosing was
the right decision. She could finally talk about all parts of
her life, and not just the shiny, fun moments.
About six months later, Jennifer had the idea to launch
a theater show. A simple storytelling show where
individuals from the community could tell their stories
through creative expression to break down the stigma
associated with mental illness. She wanted to give
individuals from the community the same opportunity
she had – a stage on which to share their story of living
a successful life despite mental illness. Jennifer met her
Co-Founder, Anne Marie Ames, at a mutual friend’s party
and recruited her to help put the project out to the world.
Jennifer and Anne Marie launched This Is My Brave
on Kickstarter in October of 2013 and the excitement
surrounding the project grew and grew. They offered
tickets to the first show and handmade “BRAVE”
bracelets, among other items, as rewards for financial
pledges of support. Within 31 days, the campaign had
surpassed their goal of $6,500 to fund the first show,
ending up with over $10,000 in contributions. It was clear
that the community wanted to help bring this show to life
– they believed in the vision and Jennifer and Anne Marie
were dedicated to delivering an exceptional production.
After the success of the debut show in 2014, Jennifer
and Anne Marie began receiving interest from
individuals in other cities to bring the show to their
community. This Is My Brave, Inc was formed
as a 501(c)(3) and the organization began to
expand to new cities through the support of
volunteers willing to donate their time and
expertise to coordinate shows.
Photo credit: Jim Folliard
24

“I finally feel comfortable with my mental
health story in a way I never have before.
Like the power it used to hold over me is gone.”
ERIN TROIA, 2018 ARLINGTON STORYTELLER
FROM ONE SHOW TO NATIONWIDE + AUSTRALIA
Since 2014, This Is My Brave has produced more than 65
unique shows in cities across the United States featuring
over 800 storytellers sharing true, personal stories on
overcoming depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD,
psychosis, OCD, postpartum depression, borderline
personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder,
trichotillomania, anorexia, bulimia, sexual assault,
alcoholism, substance use disorder and more.
In 2017, This Is My Brave expanded internationally with the
help of mental health advocate Tim Daly, who leads our
NPO in Canberra, Australia – This Is My Brave Australia,
or TIMBA for short.
Jennifer and Anne Marie may have created the space
for these brave stories to exist, but This Is My Brave
wouldn’t be the incredible community it is if it weren’t
for all the amazing people who have bravely come
forward to share their stories. “It’s my opinion that we
won’t be able to end the stigma surrounding mental
illness and addiction until we put our names and faces
on our stories,” says Jennifer.
THIS IS MY BRAVE
IS DOING THIS
ONE PERSON
& ONE STORY
AT A TIME
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 25

THIS IS MY BRAVE’S
PROGRAMS
We believe in the power of storytelling to break down
the stigma surrounding mental illness. This Is My Brave
– The Show is a live presentation of touching essays,
original music, poetry, and comedy performed by a dozen
individuals living with—or loving someone with—a mental
illness. Shows are held in cities and towns across the
United States, as well as in Australia. Auditions are held
in each city in advance of the show, creating a cast made
up of members of the local community. They rehearse
together with a local producer before presenting their
stories live on stage in front of an audience. There
is strength found in people coming together as a
community, propelling a movement forward toward a
common goal.
Are you a college student – in
person OR online? Then YOU
can be a Brave Ambassador!
This is YOUR opportunity to become a ground level, off
the stage storyteller for This Is My Brave aka a Brave
Ambassador! YOU have the power to change the culture
on your college campus and open up the conversation
around mental health. YOU have the power to smash
the stigma of mental illness for future generations. YOU
have the power to make your fellow students feel heard,
validated, and empowered. Not all students live with
mental illness, but ALL students are affected by mental
health. Let’s do this!
26

The Brave Takes podcast is a series (which is also featured in an upcoming documentary
film!) that gets teens talking about mental health. Host 18-year-old Anastasia Vlasova, a first
year at NYU, shares her personal experiences of living and coping with mental health issues
and provides a safe space for others — peers, professionals and parents alike — to do the
same. BRAVE TAKES… because being brave takes self-acceptance, time and practice.
Produced in partnership with Principle Pictures.
All of us have mental health. And every person’s life is touched in some way by mental health
challenges. Brave Takes pulls back the curtain on this sensitive topic to spark conversation
and build community.
www.thisismybrave.org @thisismybrave 27

THIS IS MY BRAVE’S IMPACT
Since 2014, This Is My Brave has...
produced
80
shows
2021
Stories from the
Black Community - vol 1*
Stories from the
Black Community - vol 2*
College Edition - season 2*
New Hampshire*
BraveTV*
Brave Beyond the Stage*
#BraveDays*
•
2020
BraveTV pilot*
Napa Valley
& St Helena, CA
Houston, TX*
St Louis, MO*
Washington, DC-area*
Hampton Roads, VA*
New Hampshire*
•
2019
High School Edition Pilot
College Edition Pilot
Baltimore, MD
Concord, NH
DeKalb, IL
Houston, TX
Orlando, FL
Columbus, OH
Carroll County, MD
Northwest AR
Boise, ID
with over
900
storytellers
2018
Arlington, VA - Spring
Arlington, VA - Fall
Baltimore, MD
Bentonville, AR
Bethesda, MD
Boise, ID
Boston, MA - Spring
Boston, MA - Fall
Charlotte, NC - Spring
Charlotte, NC - Fall
Elkins Park, PA
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Iowa City, IA
Lansing, MI
Los Angeles, CA
Mullumbimby, Australia
New York City, NY
Orlando, FL
Philadelphia, PA
Sterling, VA
www.thisismybrave.org
17,250+
audience
members
in 49 cities
in the U.S.
and Australia
2017
Bentonville, AR
Boise, ID
Boston, MA
Canberra, Australia
Cedar Rapids, IA
D.C. Women’s Summit,
Washington, DC
Des Moines, IA
Germantown, MD
Jacksonville, FL
Kansas City, MO
Lewiston, ME
Los Angeles, CA - Spring
Los Angeles, CA - Fall
Napa, CA
Perth, Australia
Sedona, AZ
Valparaiso, IN
Washington, DC
Wheeling, WV
and 300k
YouTube
video views
2016
Arlington, VA
Baltimore, MD
Denver, CO - Spring
Denver, CO - Fall
Greenville, SC
Iowa City, IA
Oklahoma City, OK
Valparaiso, IN
Washington, DC
•
2015
Arlington, VA
Boston, MA
Harrisburg, PA
Iowa City, IA
Los Angeles, CA
New York City, NY
2014
Arlington, VA
* indicates virtual programming
@thisismybrave

SUPPORT
THIS IS MY BRAVE TODAY!
Were you inspired, moved, or transformed by
WHAT YOU HEARD ON STAGE TODAY?
Are you ready to join the
movement and help end
the stigma surrounding
MENTAL ILLNESS?
Your tax-deductible gift helps build a trusted platform for individuals
to share their stories of recovery from mental illness and addiction.
YOUR GIFT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO BE BRAVE.
Scan this QR code now
Join as a
to make a one-time donation
right from your phone
https://bit.ly/donatebrave2021
and become a sustaining member
for as little as $10 per month.
ThisIsMyBrave.org/Champion
YOUR GIFT PROVIDES PEOPLE LIVING WITH MENTAL
ILLNESS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD
AND SHARE THEIR STORIES, BOLDLY AND BRAVELY.