Category: Student Reading

Mad Artists’ Gallery

Mad Artists’ Gallery Takeaways Appreciate the importance of art-making and creative self-expression as a healing practice for racialized mad people who often have adverse experiences in the traditional mental health system Understand art as a form of activist engagement with, and critique of, interlocking systems of oppression Recognize the value of art-making as a medium …

‘Claiming Space’

The ‘Claiming Space’ Unit Takeaways Analyse the diverse experiences of oppression and exclusion that exist for mad people across race, gender, class, culture and sexuality. Understand the importance of equitable political and community engagement and representation.  Explore how power affects racialized youth’s experiences of mental distress in a range of contexts and the importance of …

Disappearing Completely

Disappearing Completely Takeaways Understand how the intersecting oppression of racism and sanism within mental health systems and in the community affect racialized people experiencing mental distress Analyze the intersections of race, gender, citizenship and mental distress for racialized people in Canada Appreciate the impacts of cultural expectations, stereotyping, and racism on individuals’ experiences of mental …

Component Evaluation: Discussion

Component Evaluation: Discussion Based Activity Timing: 30 minutes; flexible Mode: In-class; online After going through the module and unit content hold a discussion that looks at the various intersections pointed out by Ashley. You may also post these questions to an online forum for an asynchronous discussion. What do interlocking oppressions allow us to understand …

The “Inexplicable Maze”

The “Inexplicable Maze” Unit Takeaways Recognize that the mental health system is structured to enforce racism, sexism, sanism, and other forms of oppression Understand the effects of trying to navigate a system that has been created and mobilized to oppress, negate, and abuse those who are already marginalized Appreciate the importance of intersectional resistance and …

Psychiatric Hollywood

Psychiatric Hollywood Takeaways Recognize how emotions can motivate us to engage with ourselves, our own beliefs, and others through self-reflection and dialogue Acknowledge how diagnosis and treatment can stigmatize and oppress marginalized groups and survivors of trauma Understand how fiction and non-fiction art can participate in bearing witness and storytelling Components Psychiatric Hollywood Audio Series …

The ‘days’

The ‘days’ Unit Takeaways Appreciate the connection between art and healing Value of the role of art as an alternative to, or combined with, mental health care Understand the importance of creative self-expression for conveying the complexity of lived experience at the intersections of madness, race, gender, and sexuality Recognize the importance of creating a …

Making Madness Political

Making Madness Political Unit Takeaways Understand activism as pragmatic and strategic rather than just ideological and/or dogmatic Appreciate the personally transformative impact of community change work Explain between the role of media and popular culture inside marginalized groups and outside the mad movement as shaping broader societal attitudes Components David Reville’s dynamic scrapbook displays his …

Components: Place Self-Guided

Components: Place at PARC – Self Guided Learning Timing: 30 Minutes Mode: In-class; Online “Hanging out” at PARC means something different every day. Whether members chose to play a game of pool, indulge in bingo, come together for movie night, or participate in sing-alongs, drumming circles or dances, PARC provides a space for both casual …

Components: Food Self-Guided

Components: Food at PARC – Self Guided Learning Timing: 15 Minutes Mode: In-class; Online Hunger and lack of good food are a daily reality for many PARC members, for few have access to cooking facilities at home and many cannot buy a month’s groceries on limited disability payments.  So it is no surprise that food …