Stop Stigma Sacramento is celebrating the return of Journey of Hope this October, a collaborative art exhibit that pairs local artists and writers to share powerful stories of recovery, providing insight, inspiration, and strength while raising awareness about mental health challenges. We recently sat down with one of the event’s co-founders and Stop Stigma Sacramento Speaks Bureau member, Laura Bemis, to learn more about the origins of this impactful event.
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Stop Stigma Sacramento: Laura, you were one of the original founders of Journey of Hope. Can you tell us a bit more about how you came up with the idea?
Laura Bemis: [Early Speakers Bureau members and County staff] attended a mental health conference back in 2015, and during the conference, I had heard something at one of the sessions about stopping stigma and it just kind of sat with me. Being an artist myself and writer myself, I thought it would be interesting to make an art show that paired artists and writers together to kind of destigmatize mental illness. It was to help bridge the gap between those who had a mental health challenge and those who didn’t and were trying to understand it and using art as the medium.
SSS: As you were designing the structure of the art exhibit, what was the power of pairing the writer and artist? How did this become the backbone of the exhibit?
LB: The goal of the whole exhibit was to break the stigma around mental illness. Since the artists don’t have to disclose whether they have a mental health challenge, some of the artists don’t realize that they know people with mental health issues, they are just really good artists. By giving them the theme of hope and recovery for their stories, they’re able to see that people with mental illness aren’t just people walking on the street screaming obscenities to everyone that they see but are actually people that just have a mental health challenge and can live successfully in this world with the right help and support.
SSS: What kind of impact do you think the event has on the participants?
LB: It brings people together, makes them realize they’re not alone. It shows the public the success that people can have despite the challenges that they’ve gone through. It’s very moving to everyone involved, whether you’re a participant or just a person coming to see the show.
2024 Journey of Hope Opening Reception October 5th
SSS: Have you ever participated as an artist or writer in a Journey of Hope exhibit?
LB: Every year I’ve been either an artist or a writer or both. In fact, most years I’ve been both.
SSS: Do you have a favorite memory from participating?
LB: The highlight for me is actually just seeing the artists and writers connect and the emotions that come out of the art pieces and then having the gallery open to the public and the public learning.
SSS: Journey of Kope kicks off Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 6-12, 2024, what are your thoughts on why it’s so important to be aware of mental illness and why it’s so important that we break down stigma around mental health?
LB: It’s important to open the conversation and let people connect with each other and realize they’re not alone in the struggles that life brings us. There are others that have similar situations, and it’s just to bridge that gap and open up the dialogue so people can learn more and not be afraid of it.
The Journey of Hope art exhibit runs through Thursday, October 31 at The Gallery by We Are (1019 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95819). This exhibit is completely free and can be viewed by the public during the gallery’s hours of operation on Wednesday-Friday from 12:00-6:00 pm and Saturday-Sunday from 1:00-5:00 pm. For more information on the exhibit visit this page on our website.