Emotional Justice Event Itinerary: bit.ly/EmotionalJusticeSchedule

All attendees welcomed. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the accessibility provided by this event, please contact Dandelion at Dandelion@peersupportspace.org to request disability accommodations.

You’re invited to “Emotional Justice: Listen, Learn, and Amplify -- a virtual learning experience centering those most deeply impacted” taking place on Tuesday, October 6th from 5:30 - 7:30 PM EST.

The following event is a virtual learning experience created and led by facilitators and performers, all directly impacted by obstacles to mental wellness. With the primary mission of this event being to educate, we are making this event free. With that said, this event is replacing Peer Support Space's Annual Fundraiser which was cancelled due to COVID, and donations are encouraged if you have the means to support.

This conference, like our services, will be led by the communities being served. The event will feature a webinar about the gaps within our mental health system, the strategies to fix it, and the impact of those strategies. Attendees will then get to choose from a selection of breakout sessions that are led by folks from communities that have been historically underserved sharing what it is to be in their shoes. We will then have a series of exciting performers/speakers followed by another set of breakout sessions to choose from.

For professionals interested, 1 CEU hour available for attending this event. You must attend both breakout sessions to receive a CEU. Please use "CEU Registration" option on Eventbrite when registering.

CEU’s are Provided through Counseling Services of Central FL AKA Center for the Healing Arts Provider #50-11480

Event Timeline:

5:35-5:50 Opening Presentation

5:50-6:25 Breakout Session A

6:25-6:45 Performances

6:45-7:20 Breakout Session B

7:20-7:30 Closing Ceremony

About Opening Presentation:

Presented by Peer Support Space Executive Director and Co-Founder, Yasmin Flasterstein. We will take a look at problems existent within our local mental health system, examine strategies to fix those issues, and explain the impact of those strategies.

About Breakout Session A:

4 breakout rooms to choose from, each led by a community that Peer Support Space supports. Sessions are created in a peer-led process where peer facilitators, individuals with lived experience, are uplifted to create an exciting, unique 30 minute session on what they wish people knew about their community.

• What's good family? A collective BIPOC Mental Health Check in: Calling BIPOC folx and allies to join Tamia & Kevin, facilitators for Peer Support Space’s monthly virtual gathering Your Black Matters for a mental health check in. (Special thank you to Truelieve for sponsoring this session!)

• Diversability: A session hosted by Bell Giannosa, Peer Facilitator for the Diversability peer gathering. They will be going over the need for communal support for individuals that have chronic physical conditions, mobility impairments, or that are otherwise differently abled.

• The Autistic Culture and Community: What We Wish You Knew: In this session Ari explains the common misconceptions made around terminology and language currently in circulation to discuss autism and autistic people. Labels surrounding functioning, pathologization,and person-first language, and similar topics will be discussed. Ari will also outline the lesser-known demographics of who makes up the autistic community to further dispel stereotypes and show autism’s diversity.

• Becoming Certified as a Peer Specialist: During this session, Maria speaks on what a Peer Specialist is, the importance of each individual's recovery journey and the value peers bring to the community and to service providers. Maria will also provide a detailed overview of the steps it takes to become a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist within the State of Florida

About Performances:

Peer Support Space believes that individuals are unique and that there are multiple routes of recovery. Performers are from different communities showcasing the variety of ways they emote and cope.

• Tap Dance by Kat, A tap-dancing piece that speaks to a time in my life when I put a mask of happiness on for the world while truly feeling utterly hopeless and alone.
• Spoken word by Roman Blck, “The longest relationship I ever had was with depression and here’s our love letters for you to hear.”
• An Original Song by Beaux, I was diagnosed as manic depressive (bipolar) at 16... I'm 68... It's survivable...Other than that my message is Inclusion, Unity and Hope...
• Comedy skit by Amethyst Barron, a queer and non-binary Toronto-based comic, producer and writer. They are known for their witty one-liners dealing with topics like inter-generational trauma, madness, psychiatry, feminism and more.
• Contemporary Dance by Liv Curatalo and Katelynn Draper, In the following piece Katelynn plays a supportive role in Liv telling her story: The journey of discovering myself after trauma; after being kicked out of my own heart. Finding homeostasis after living in survival mode. A divine unraveling of this queer body. A ceremonious coming home. Finally finding freedom. Taking my first deep breath as Me. I am a queer woman finally living in her truth. Thank you for witnessing me.

About Breakout Session B:

4 more breakout rooms to choose from, each led by a community that Peer Support Space supports. Sessions are created in a peer-led process where peer facilitators, individuals with lived experience, are uplifted to create an exciting, unique 30 minute session on what they wish people knew about their community.

• Yoga for Self Empowerment & Love: Join Sarah Summey, RYT-200, for a gentle, but empowering yoga flow. Sarah will order modifications & challenges making it appropriate for ALL levels. Most importantly, You will leave with some tips and tricks for bringing movement into your day to cultivate body neutrality & a self love practice. (Special thank you to Central Florida Behavioral Hospital for sponsoring this session!)

• Música Maestro! Expressing Latinx art and culture through music! Hosted by Hablamos Más facilitators, Juanita Carbajal and Claudia Swonger, join the session for a live performance, and to discuss myths/facts related to mental health. Valentina Arteaga will be performing, all the way from Columbia, a variety of uplifting acoustic songs sung in Spanish and sharing, in English, her personal journey with Depression and how music therapy has helped her heal and cope better.

• LGBTQ+ Asian Mental Health: Join Bryant, Lotus' facilitator, for a discussion on the intersection of being Asian and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, common misconceptions, and ways to support our community. (Special thank you to Central Florida Behavioral Hospital for sponsoring this session!)

• When Two Just Isn't Enough: Society, Identity & Gender: Join Tisse for an exploration of the societal context of gender. Where have you felt like you were told what to wear, how to be, what to like, or even how to feel? What does it take to step boldly into your own truths?

It’s really important to us that all of our services are accessible and approachable, because of this we never charge for our peer-led services. We also wanted to give folks an opportunity to deep dive into learning more about the communities we work in partnership with - as such, this event is free, but we do appreciate donations from anyone who has the means to give. All donations allow us to continue to provide life-saving emotional support resources.

Sponsorship options and benefits are available at: https://rb.gy/8jjllf

For questions email: yasmin@peersupportspace.org

What 100% of Event Proceeds Support:

Prior to COVID19, Peer Support Space services provided peer-led emotional support reached over 4,000 individuals at no-cost since being founded in early 2019. On March 18th, we moved our community gatherings virtual and added additional daily peer support groups in response to COVID-19. We have hosted well over 400 support groups since then in just a few short months reaching an additional 3,000 individuals all over the U.S. during this emotionally difficult time. We have been hosting digital communal gatherings every day at 12PM and 6PM, Monday-Saturday and have hosted additional communty-specific gatherings that focus on communities most deeply impacted by obstacles to mental wellness with the least access to approachable, accessible mental health care.

“Having the daily calls as a continued source of human connection and support has been lifesaving to me. It's the only thing that has prevented me from having a complete breakdown during this time.” -Digital Gathering Participant

Who is Peer Support Space?

Peer Support Space Inc. is a grassroots organization, led by and for those in recovery from mental health challenges, trauma, grief, substance use issues, or other obstacles to wellness. We use, and help others use, the power of lived experience to support, educate, and guide one another while providing additional, free options for mental wellness.

Our services are centered around communities most deeply impacted by obstacles to mental wellness with the least access to approachable, accessible mental health care.

More information at: peersupportspace.org

What Free Services Does Peer Support Space Provide?

Peer Support Space services are intentionally well-rounded. We work till fill gaps in our mental health system, for those with the least access to care, by providing peer services at no-cost. We host peer-led support groups, advocacy events, and have a peer-led drop-in center. We are working towards opening Central Florida's first peer-led respite center. The following fundraiser is to support continuing our digital services through the pandemic. Our next fundraiser will be to support the opening of peer-led respite center for our community. A peer respite in a nonclinical, homelike environment staffed by trained individuals with lived experience. This will be the 32nd peer respite in the nation and the 2nd in Florida.

Peer Support Space's services our intentionally well rounded, providing a system of care that fills many gaps in our local mental health system. Our overnight services will allow a break from hardship and promote preventative care. Our drop-in (closed temporarily due to COVID) provides continuous opportunities to have 1:1/communal peer support and a safe space to explore multiple routes of recovery. Lastly, our community gatherings (peer-led support groups) all over Central Florida (and digitally) allow an opportunity for individuals from communities with the least access to quality, culturally affirming resources to build a support system and sense of chosen family with others. To further our efforts, we host innovative events to destigmatize mental wellness and advance the peer recovery movement.

Our free services currently available during COVID can be found at peersupportspace.org/covid-response

Sponsorship options and benefits are available at: https://rb.gy/8jjllf

For questions email: yasmin@peersupportspace.org