FOX POINT – Shir, a local 16-year-old, sees it this way: “You really never know what somebody’s going through.”
Shir said there may be some people who already know her, who will be surprised to learn about what she’s faced. She asks us all to remember: “What people share with us is only a snippet of their story.”
Shir was one of four southeast Wisconsin teens who gathered Oct. 14 to rehearse their brief speeches for an event they hope will help others. At the upcoming event, “One Thing I Wish You Knew,” they will share their vulnerabilities and experiences with mental health.
“One Thing I Wish You Knew” is slated for Nov. 17 at Marquette University and is open to the public. It is a project of Friendship Circle, an initiative of Lubavitch of Wisconsin, in partnership with REDgen, a mental health advocacy organization. (See story, page 8, “Teens to speak on mental health.”)
After the rehearsals in a private room at the Friendship Circle Cafe & Bakery, where the teens talked about their experiences, the four of them interviewed with the Chronicle about why they decided to publicly share. It comes down to reaching others and ending the stigma surrounding talk about mental health. It’s “just a type of wellness,” said Mendi, 15, one of the four teenage speakers.
“If I impact someone in that crowd, I know I did something right,” Shir said. “I’m making somebody feel seen, and that’s my purpose in life, honestly.” Mendi added: “A few words can change someone’s life.”
The event is open to those ages 13 and up. If you’re not sure if you should come, then just come, said Daniel, 17. It could inspire you, he said. Shir said that last year’s event, the first annual one for Milwaukee, moved her to tears, in a good way.
The four teens’ stories are all different, and one might touch you more than another, said 16-year-old Hannah. The event could really change something for you, if you do come, she said.
Let’s be nice
In addition to the reasons given by the teens, the adults assisting them noted more wholesome goals of the whole initiative.
We need to “notice our similarities and not harp on our differences,” said Sophie Edelstein, coordinator of the event for Friendship Circle.
“We really want the kids out there to know that they are not alone. They can get help. They can learn tools to manage their days,” said Lisamarie Arnold, executive director of REDgen, which has chapters in local schools. “We really want to bring anyone who is in a place of darkness to a place of hope.”
It’s important to remember that most people are good, kind people, said Rabbi Levi Stein, executive director of Friendship Circle of Wisconsin.
“We have to be careful with our words and not judge people, because you don’t know what they are going through,” Stein said. “When you live life knowing that you don’t know, you’ll just be nicer and kinder to everyone around you.”
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Read more
For more about this initiative, see “Friendship Circle and REDgen are partnering”
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