Today, Eddie, Rene, Robert and I went to San Francisco State University to screen the Unheard Voices DVD at the social work dept. We were asked by our clinic interns Allison, Natalie, Ellbert, and Katy to do this presentation as part of their own class seminar presentation. The clients and I were struck by how sympathetic and friendly the class was. Rene said something very interesting during the Q/A. When asked by one of the students how she felt about watching herself on screen, Rene stated that while she was watching the video, she felt as if she had been dreaming for most of her life and finally she had awakened. Eddie jumped in and said he knew what she meant.
Rene, who is usually shy in public places, said that she felt very good about today's outing. She's not normally around a lot of people, but she was able to touch a lot of students. Robert said that he rarely does "normal activities" like this. Speaking in front of "normal" people, being accepted by them, etc. Eddie also noted how friendly the students were.
Afterwards, we went to nearby Stonestown Mall and had a big dinner at Chevy's. Robert and Eddie ordered the Mixed grill dinner combo, and Rene ordered a huge plate combo as well. It was a very moving experience to be able to sit with them and to dine with them after a wonderful presentation. It was a sacred meal for me where I experienced a fleeting, yet strong solidarity with our clients who showed enough courage to speak out about mental illness in front of university students.
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