Seeing Her Ghosts

Source: unsplash//averie woodard

Seeing Her Ghosts is a creative collective of photography, art, and the written word from acclaimed artists and writers from around the world. The book, a project produced by Kirsten Becken, a photographer featured in Vogue, is a dedication to her mother who lives with the illness. Her name is Angela Becken.

This project is important to me as someone with paranoid schizophrenia because it gives many oppressed people a voice when they may be too afraid, too stigmatized, or too ill to express themselves. In comparison to other illnesses people are talking about such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, there is a large gap of awareness, literature, and education for schizophrenia and the people affected by it.

While I'm a contributor to Seeing her Ghosts - I'll be writing an essay about my life - it's not so much about what the project means to me as it is about what the project means to Becken and why she chose to create awareness for this disease.

"Seeing Her Ghosts is the way to tell the world our story," said Becken in an interview. "We want to raise awareness and help others with their struggles. Being my mother's daughter is very special to me because she is a unique soul. We want to empower others with our own courage to tell an intimate story."

In order for this project to be successful in "push[ing] an open dialogue about mental health in a beautiful way," the book will need support from those who are able to donate to the cause. I hope all of my readers will consider doing so.

Thank you for your support.