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Writer's pictureAlyson Wick

September 2023



Image Description: Red font reads "Hispanic Heritage Month" in capital letters. Surrounding the words is a circle made up of various flags of Hispanic countries, such as Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! This month, join us in celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of those who come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America!



 

ONGOING:

September Survivor Card Drive Benefitting Project Help




Image Description: A white background has black and teal font with the below information. In the upper right and left corners are Survivor Cards logo; an envelope opening to show a piece of paper that says Survivor Cards with a teal heart seal and the Project HELP logo, which features 3 illustrated stick people reaching their hands up towards the sky, with a flower made of green, teal and blue petals. Join Survivor Cards for a month long card drive benefitting Project Help! Project HELP is a non-profit organization staffed by professional counselors and advocates committed to providing hope, empowerment, and healing to those affected by sexual violence, sudden death, and other crimes in the Naples, FL and surrounding area. Along with free counseling and advocacy services, Project HELP provides their community with a 24-Hour Crisis & Referral Helpline. Survivor Cards will be provided to those who visit them for Forensic Exams, Support Groups and their new clients at our new rural location, which predominantly serves local farmers. Our goal is to create and collect 190 cards for this amazing organization by September 30th, with the help of our community volunteers. Email us at survivorcards@gmail.com or visit www.survivorcards.org/volunteer to get involved!



 

RECENT:

Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati




Image Description: A grassy yard has a fairy garden in a planter box, with trails and houses, and bright colors. To the right of the fairy garden is a white post, which has a bright blue Free Little Library box in the shape of a house with a white roof. It is full of colorful books. We are happy to share that our headquarters Little Free Library created in partnership with Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati is now open! Want diverse or banned books? Come by "The Fairies' Library" anytime, 24/7 at 1004 Brooke Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45230! While you're here, say hello to the fairies in our fairy garden! We also have crisis resources and mental health resources inside, as well as children's affirmation cards and info on 211! You can find our Little Free Library on the Little Free Library map. We'd also like to thank Melanie Moore with Cincy Book Bus for donating over 300 diverse and banned books to our Diverse Book Fairies of Cincinnati initiative to distribute across Cincinnati! Please email us at diversitybookfairiescincy@gmail.com for books for your Little Free Library, classroom or more!



Image Description: Survivor Cards founder, Alyson Wick poses with Melanie Moore of Cincy Book Bus. Alyson has long blonde hair, is white, wearing glasses, a white shirt that reads "Keep Diversity in FHSD" and wears a mushroom skirt. Melanie is white, with short brown hair, and wears gray pants and a black tank top. In front of them are many boxes of books. Behind them is the teal Cincy Book Bus.




Image Description: The inside of the Little Free Library box. There are books and above them on the inside walls are clear plastic business card holders, containing Survivor Cards' business cards, children's affirmation cards, 211 cards, RAINN cards and 988 cards.



 

Clermont County Mental Health & Recovery Board's Candlelight Vigil




Image Description: A snippet of a flyer for the Clermont County Mental Health & Recovery Board's 22nd Annual Candlelight Vigil. It reads "Recognizing lives lost to suicide, loss survivors and those struggling with mental illness." On the left side is an image of a candle lit in the dark and hands releasing a butterfly. We met so many amazing people in the community at Clermont County Mental Health & Recovery Board's 22nd Annual Candlelight Vigil. Thank you to everyone who came by, shared their story, took home resources for themselves or others, signed up to write Survivor Cards, wrote cards at our table or otherwise networked or connected with us! The choir, commissioner's speech and candlelight vigil were beautiful and we hope that everyone left feeling a little less alone. Thank you to Marcie Keith, Community Engagement Manager for CCMHRC for inviting us to attend.


Image Description: A yellow, bee-themed card has a blue handwritten message. It reads "Hello, It will be hard and you will come across challenges in life, but just know, you're so loved. I love you even if I have never met you. You will get through this. If I was able to you can too. I believe you will get through this. You deserve the world. If you wanna talk 1 on 1, I suggest you call. They will help you, love. They helped me. Love, Mia" A 988 sticker is on the left hand side of the note and reads "There is hope. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline" An illustrated outline of hands holds a heart


Image Descriptions: Upper Left - A table with a purple tablecloth with blue letters says "Survivor Cards" On the table are mental health resources, flyers, a sign up sheet, Survivor Cards, stickers, magnets and a card writing station. Upper Right - A table with a purple tablecloth and lit candles around the entire front of the table. A choir of teens sings behind the table facing forward. Lower Right - A white tablecloth with a black table runner on top has little, fake white birch trees, with ornaments with handwritten messages to those lost to suicide. Lower right - Clermont County Commissioner David Painter reads this year's speech on suicide prevention week. He is a thin white man, with gray hair, wearing a gray suit, white shirt and striped tie. He stands by a poster board which states the sponsors of the event.


 

Anderson Chalk Art Day for FHSD




Thank you to everyone who came out to Survivor Cards' and Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati's Anderson Chalk Art Day for Forest Hills School District Students! As you may already be aware, the local school board recently painted over a student-created mural which focused on diversity on inclusion. In response, Survivor Cards and Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati's Founder, Alyson Wick wrote this official statement and planned a township-wide chalk art day for students to express themselves without restrictions. We love seeing your art around town and at our headquarters! Free diverse books, mental health resources, snacks and Survivor Cards were available to those who attended our event from 10-2. Local District & State Representative Rachel Baker even stopped by to educate adults on important election dates and how to vote! We loved seeing students and adults alike express themselves, support and encourage each other, and share their experiences.


The images above contain various religious symbols, such as Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, various pride flags, equal signs, neurodiverse and disability pride symbols, and statements like "You matter," "You belong," You are loved," "Believe," "Love," "Pride," "Diversity" and Inclusion. A drawing was done by a Unitarian Universalist of an angel and the Unitarian Universalism symbol and values (Equity, Love, Dignity and Inherent Worth) Another drawing features a rainbow with a heart and clouds and a drawing at another location reads "You matter, are loved, belong, are enough, are seen" surrounded by colorful hearts!



Image Description: On the left is a table with a white and polka dot table cloth, with many diverse children's books. On the right is a white and polka dot table with various snacks and bottled water.



 

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Image Description: Colorful paper flowers hang from ribbons. From Emily Key, Education Programs Manager, and Adrián Aldaba, Associate to the Director and Programs, Smithsonian Latino Center 1) Why do we celebrate the Hispanic community in the United States? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 56.6 million Hispanics in the United States or 17.6 percent of the country’s population as of July 2015. Hispanics or Latinos have contributed to American life since the American Revolution, fighting in every war since then. Latinos today continue to advance communities across the country as small business owners, veterans, teachers, and public servants, among many other professions. Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to recognize their achievements and contributions to our national story. 2) What were the beginnings of Hispanic Heritage Month? Originally, Hispanic Heritage Month was Hispanic Heritage Week, started in 1968 under President Johnson. In 1988, President Reagan enacted a public law to celebrate a 30-day Hispanic Heritage Month, starting on September 15, the independence day of five Central American countries. Within the month, other Latin American countries celebrate their independence as well. 3) Have you heard the common quote “We did not cross the border, the border crossed us”? Because of the Mexican-American and Spanish-American wars, two treaties were put in place (The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Treaty of Paris, respectively) that gave the United States territories in the Southwest and Puerto Rico, incorporating the peoples of this area into the United States. 4) Did you know that in America today, one in four children is Hispanic? Sandra Cisneros writes about a young girl, Esperanza, in her classic coming-of- age story, The House on Mango Street. Used in classrooms across America, the novel is about growing up Latina in Chicago and the importance of family and traditions. 5) Did you know that food is a common language and brings us together? Ezequiel Moreno started a Mexican bakery and restaurant out of his home in 1918, moving to La Plaza in the heart of Los Angeles in 1920. He named his bakery La Esperanza, meaning hope. Until the 1970s, their bread, coffee, Mexican dishes, and “American-style” lunches brought all kinds of people together, from Mexican immigrants, to downtown employees, to even Hollywood movie stars. Bakeries today continue this tradition of community with El Bolillo Bakery in Houston, baking an estimated 4,400 pounds of flour into Mexican bread to help those in need after Hurricane Harvey. 6) Did you know that baseball played a role in Latino community building? Latino community baseball leagues across the United States provided a place for people to build relationships, organize, and engage with younger community members. At the Major League level, Roberto Clemente, player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was a Hispanic civil rights activist and a close collaborator with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. 7) Did you know that Latin Jazz is a combination of African-American and Latin rhythms first mixed together in the 1940s? Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo first collaborated to create Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz. New York’s Palladium Ballroom became the hub of Latin jazz with greats such as Tito Puente, Machito and his Afro-Cubans, and Tito Rodriguez, among others. 8) Did you know that contrary to popular belief, Day of the Dead is not Halloween? Celebrated on November 1 and 2, Day of the Dead remembers family and community members that have passed. Originally from Meso-America but now celebrated in Latino communities across the United States, the commemoration combines indigenous and Catholic rituals. Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic Culture by visiting the National Museum of the American Latino!


 

Image Description: The cover of The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez. The cover is bright yellow and features symbols like the anarchy symbol, a music record, a doll, scissors, skulls and Loteria card. The title is in bright red font. A brown skinned girl wings at the camera and throws up peace signs. She is wearing a purple shirt with Blondie and green pants, with hi top chucks and holding a microphone. Looking for Books by Hispanic Authors? Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati suggests:

  • Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

  • The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia

  • The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevado

  • Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal

  • The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

  • I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez

  • Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt del la Peña

  • La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya

  • The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez

 

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

Image Description: A woman lies on a bed. Her arms are over her head and her hair is laid across the bed. It appears she is distressed and tired. You cannot see her face. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) recognizes the entire month of September as National Suicide Prevention Month: a moment in time in which we rally the public to create awareness of this leading cause of death, and inspire more and more people to learn how they can play a role in their communities in helping to save lives. We encourage you to TALK about suicide! Use the word freely and talk about mental health when possible. There are countless ways you can help Talk Away the Dark by initiating open conversations about mental health; speaking up and making sure more people know what research reveals about how we can help prevent suicide; lighting the way for those in distress to feel comfortable asking for help; and knowing what to say to support survivors of suicide loss and provide them the care they need. Ways to help or get help:

Here are some mental health and suicide resources divested from police (aka will not call police for rescue purposes):

Note that while 988 is a wonderful resource, it is not divested from police, therefore, you must safety plan and risk emergency rescue/forced rescue if you disclose imminent harm.



 


Image Description: An illustration of a blue hand and purple hand reaching for each other. The blue hand has white writing that reads "There is help." The purple hand has white writing that reads "There is hope." A Message From Someone Who's Been There... "Someone is thinking about what their life might be — if their life is worth it. I’ve been there a couple of times, and I always kept fighting-even when that fight takes everything I have. I can’t tell them what their life will end up being, but I can tell them that there’s something out there. If you can tap into the little things that get you through the day pain and give it a value in your life, you’ll find out what your purpose is. There are a million decisions to make, some of them are small and some are huge. Making the choice to keep going, even when the way is dark and you don’t see any options, is the biggest decision you can make. Life will force you to keep making that decision over and over until you finally make a habit of living. It’s in that hindsight that you find little rainbows peeping out. You’ll find your purpose — even if you don’t believe it yet." -Michelle Brewer-Bunnell, LISW, Board Member, Treasurer of Survivor Cards



 

As always, thank you for reading and being here!

Here's to a wonderful month ahead!


If you'd like to receive these monthly communications straight to your email, simply visit our website, scroll to the bottom and enter your e-mail address!


If you'd like to get in touch, please email us at survivorcards@gmail.com


-Alyson Wick, Founder of Survivor Cards, Hot Girls Walking and Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati


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