Project Semicolon Mission: “Within the belief that suicide is generally preventable, the mission of Project Semicolon is to help reduce the incidents of suicide in the world through a connected community and greater access to information and resources. We believe that suicide prevention is the collective responsibility of each and every person on the planet.”
The Project Semicolon website has a section entitled “Tell My Story”, where those who identify with the mission of the non-profit and struggle with suicidal ideation or mental illness can share their stories. Each story takes a unique look at the resilience or perceived defeat of those who chose to share their experiences. The stories more importantly speak to the organization’s mission to continue one’s story, instead of ending them. The story I decided to look at was entitled “My name is Kylie and I am a hurricane”, which is a first person narrative of a young teen named Kylie who suffers from Panic Disorder.
The story was formatted with a picture of Kylie and a short narrative that included her journey spanning from her first panic attack, to her diagnosis, to the management her symptoms with medication allowing her live a productive and happy life. I felt that this format was exceptionally personal and provided a greater insight into Kylie’s situation. Her writing was incredibly poetic and conjured images that allowed you to step into her shoes, especially when she described her first panic attack in the beginning of the narrative. The picture that was used was of Kylie striking a pose that allowed you to see her the way she wants others to see her, a thriving teen who just happens to have Panic Disorder. Speaking to the title of the narrative, at the end of the piece Kylie describes her identification with a hurricane. She says, “I identify as a hurricane, there will be the raging storm some days, but there is always the eye of it, the calmness...Like sitting at the edge of your seat in a movie theater, breath held...waiting for the unknown”.
As a first person narrative, there is that possibility that the person writing could either cast themselves as a victim or hero of their situation without much question. This narrative in particular did not take on either one identity, rather it allowed you to see the humanity in her battle, but in the end she prospers. Kylie says at the end of her narrative that she is living courageously with Panic Disorder, acknowledging that is no easy feat to manage the symptoms or carry that baggage, but nonetheless, she is an example what could be for others who are battling Panic Disorder. This is an important balance to strike in advocacy because to portray one purely as a victim can make the mission of the advocacy organization seem unachievable. On the other side of the coin, to portray the person purely as a hero it may dilute the mission of the organization. This story strikes this balance by allowing Kylie to display her challenges and perseverance, as a sort of “work in progress”.
The elements of this story contribute greatly to the broader mission of the Project Semicolon campaign because it speaks to the fact that we are all, whether we deal with mental illness, a work in progress. Not only are we works in progress, but we all deserve the support and encouragement necessary to manage our situations. Kylie’s narrative of wanting to continue her story and not allow her Panic Disorder to define her life speaks to the greater mission of Project Semicolon. These stories aim to encourage their readers to carry on.
https://story.projectsemicolon.com/2017/06/01/my-name-is-kylie-and-i-am-a-hurricane/
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