I'll Go First

Hello Friends!

We are so excited to announce that the I'll Go First & The Moth Fall Storytelling Workshop application is now open!

We are inviting 1st / 2nd generation BIPOC folks to apply.

This workshop series will be in person, so if you are in NYC this October we would love for you to join us! Please do share with your friends and loved ones in NYC!

Information and application below! Applications close August 26th.

www.illgofirst.com/workshops

P.S. Thanks to the generous support of our donors/supporters and The Moth Community Program, we are able to provide this workshop for free!

Storytelling Workshops | I'll Go First Apply to join our free virtual Storytelling Intensive Workshops in partnership with The Moth (as featured on NPR.) I'll Go First is a mental health community for stories of healing, purpose and breakthrough to remind you that you’re not alone.

This week's episode on I'll Go First was so meaningful to be a part of. Obbie West is a US Army Veteran, spoken word artist, and an advocate on behalf of sexual violence survivors of all genders. His work is inspired by his childhood. He grew up witnessing domestic violence between his mom and father and vowed to do everything he can to speak up for those who have experienced the same.

As a sexual assault survivor myself it is hard to describe just how much of a gift it was to have a man stand in the gap and devote his life to speaking up for all of us who have felt alone in our experiences. This episode is a rallying cry in the darkness to say you are not alone.

Obbie also shares how he's learned to define love for himself - a concept that I thought was really different from the norm.

"I grew up in a household where there was abuse. I wasn't abused, but abuse amongst parents. So I watched that. So as a child, when you watch that, it puts you in a position to where you now have to create a definition of love, right? When you look in a dictionary, the definition of love says a "strong feeling." It's as simple as that. Well, that's consistent with hate as well. So the details of love are determined by the person's experience. So if you grew up watching two people fight and then say, "I love you," you put those together and now your definition of love becomes it's abusive. And if you carry that out on life, that's how you show love later. So you put a child in a position to where now have to figure out what love is to me. And fortunately, I didn't go with the example I gave I. I determined that I never wanted to inflict that level of pain on anyone else, whether directly or indirectly."

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growing-up-witnessing-domestic-violence-defining-what/id1494556474?i=1000480831543

I'd *love* to hear what you thought of this episode (esp if you're a survivor) And, as always, we so appreciate reviews and 5-star ratings. 💓

‎I'll Go First® with Jessica Minhas: Growing Up Witnessing Domestic Violence and Defining What Love Means for Us with Army Veteran Obbie West on Apple Podcasts ‎Show I'll Go First® with Jessica Minhas, Ep Growing Up Witnessing Domestic Violence and Defining What Love Means for Us with Army Veteran Obbie West - Jun 30, 2020

Tomorrow we will be recording episode #16 (🤯) of the I'll Go First podcast. Our guest (it's a surprise) and I will be talking about her experience - the good and the challenging - of dissociation (ohhhh ahhhhh) and dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder.... fascinating.)

Are there any questions or any topics that come to mind that we can answer for you?

Some more info on dissociation:

We all dissociate - daydreaming, zoning out, 'in the flow' are some examples. When stressful things happen the level of dissociation we experience may increase. It's our body and brain's way of modulating an experience that otherwise may be too hard to bear so we're not overwhelmed. But sometimes that coping mechanism can interfere with our lives after the trigger is over. This may make it difficult to later remember the details of the experience, as reported by many disaster and accident survivors. Staying 'present' is the antidote, and just like any other part of healing, that stuff takes time and practice - but it's not impossible! (woohoo)

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P.S. You can find I'll Go First everywhere you listen to podcasts.