Submission Medium: video

Less? a film of personal stories from people who have experienced and overcome homelessness

This 12.5 minute video by Britain's NHS interweaves stories of four people who experienced homelessness and are now housed. Included in their stories are accounts of ways they felt dehumanized and stigmatized in health care settings, as well as small acts of caring that encouraged them to seek help and experience self-worth. Several of the stories also speak about substance use disorders and provide context for understanding how they may be intertwined with homelessness. For example, Viv speaks about how terrifying it is to sleep outdoors and Jamesy's story includes discussion of how his drug use and homelessness were precipitated by several traumatic events that happened in a short time period. One of the stories mentions an averted suicide attempt. The video is brief enough to be used in a class, and could be paired with other materials that document the connections between homelessness, health care access, and risk of chronic and fatal health conditions (see, for example, Denise's Last Days, published February 20, 2023 in Slate Magazine: https://slate.com/technology/2023/02/trauma-aware-care-homelessness-hope.html).

Together Well: Documenting COVID’s Impact through Storytelling

Together Well is an online collection of stories (some audio and written but most video) about experiences of COVID. This collaboration between the Relational Leadership Institute (www.relatelab.org) and the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative (nwnmcollaborative.org) was designed to "collectively make sense of the pandemic’s impact on all members of the community: nurses, social workers, patients, family members, doctors, caregivers, students, chaplains, scholars, educators, activists, and artists." In addition, the stories were assembled in the hope that reflecting on pandemic experiences can provide a basis for change in healthcare and communities that "better center connection, relationships, and well-being." Stories document not only hardship but also ways that the COVID crisis led teams, communities, and individuals to innovate, collaborate, and change in powerful ways that we may wish to continue as we move forward. The 37 stories in the collection are listed on the webpage; each has a thumbnail and an image. There is also a video (the first entry in the collection) about the project. Stories are brief enough to show in a class or workshop. The videos are hosted on YouTube so it is possible to provide closed captioning and transcripts are also available.

LitMed: Literature Arts Medicine Database

Scholars, educators, patients, students, and anyone interested in medical humanities can search this site for annotated entries that describe works of literature, fine art, visual art and performing art related to medicine. Housed at the NYU School of Medicine, the annotations are written by an editoral board of medical humanities scholars from across North America. Users of the site can search by words or phrases of their own, peruse an alphabetical index of titles, or use the extensive system of tags. It is possible to narrow a search to a particular kind of work (e.g., "All visual arts" or just photography, painting/drawing, or sculpture) or to medical humanities topics (e.g., history of medicine, medical anthropology, science and medicine). Stories by "physician" or "nurse" can also be searched. The site has over 3000 items at the time of this submission. An entry includes a summary description of the work as well as a commentary.

Crip Camp

“Crip Camp” is a Netflix documentary produced by Barack and Michelle Obama that traces the origins of the US Disability rights movement to a summer camp for disabled youth called Camp Jened. The film showcases the strong bonds formed at this unique camp that provided a place for self-discovery, authenticity, mutual support, and connection for disabled teens living in a predominantly able-bodied world. The film then follows a group of camp alumni who went on to become advocates for disability rights, putting political pressure on both state and federal authorities. Their tireless efforts eventually led to the passage of the historic Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Camper and staff member’s personal narratives are woven throughout the film, personalizing disability in a way that calls viewers to question stereotypes about disabled people, thus functioning as a tool for education and advocacy in and of itself. These stories, often heartfelt and humorous, touch on everything from personal relationships, sex lives, employment, and hierarchy within the disabled community itself. The documentary runs for 1 hour and 42 minutes and combines footage from the camp’s heyday in the 70s with present-day interviews with the attendees. This film could be relevant to classes on healthcare, disability studies, public health, or social justice to facilitate discussion about physical disabilities, advocacy and activism, healthcare policy, or intersectionality. The film could raise questions about the role personal narratives play in shaping public perceptions of disability and health, who counts as “all” when we think about “access for all,” and what patient-centered care can actually look like, as exemplified by the individuals at Camp Jened.

Access Intimacy, Interdependence and Disability Justice

Text of Mia Mingus presenting at the 2017 Paul K. Longmore Lecture on Disability Studies at San Francisco State University, with a link to the video, posted to YouTube. Mingus is a queer physically disabled Korean transracial and transnational adoptee, who is a writer and educator of disability justice. The lecture focuses on disability scholarship with personal stories woven throughout used as persuasive appeal. She stresses that disabled people, including disabled queer individuals of color, are often overlooked in social justice movements and communities, and emphasizes the importance of including their experiences and stories. The main focus of this talk is the idea of “access intimacy,” which is a term she coined that refers to a deep, often unspoken connection between individuals who understand and accommodate each other's access needs, in the context of disability. It's the feeling of comfort and understanding when someone "gets" your access needs, making it easier for disabled people to navigate their daily lives. Access intimacy can exist with other disabled people, family members, or complete strangers, and can be as small as a knowing look and intangible as a feeling of familiarity. Nevertheless, Mingus describes how access intimacy is a powerful tool for liberation and a way to reframe the understanding of disability. Mingus argues that access should be used to challenge ableism and able-bodied supremacy and encourages shifting the responsibility for access from individual to collective responsibility. This talk could be used to bring up discussions about disability and ableism, disability justice, interdependence, cultural competence and intersectionality, and patient-centered care.

Eric Clapton’s “This Has Gotta Stop”

British rock star Eric Clapton’s 2021 song “This Has Gotta Stop” expresses his apparent discontent with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and vaccines. Known as the “anti-vax anthem” the lyrics detail his reported adverse reactions to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Clapton, who has been critical of vaccines and lockdowns since 2020, published a note in May outlining his negative experiences after the first dose. He expressed reservations about performing for a "discriminated audience" and reserved the right to cancel shows unless all people were allowed to attend. The song's music video features animated graphics of protesters and supports the British anti-lockdown group Jam for Freedom. This song could be used to spark conversation about anti-vaccine sentiments and the role of media and music in expressing opinions on social and political issues. The citation is to a news story about the music video; the URL is to the video posted on YouTube.

Autism and Neurodiversity: Different Does Not Mean Broken.

In this TedTalk, Adriana White (librarian, former special education teacher, and author) discusses the idea of neurodiversity. She was diagnosed with autism and anxiety in her 30's and now advocates for inclusive schools and libraries. Her talk includes stories of her own autistic experiences, including how others labeled and made fun of because of the way her brain works. This video could be utilized as a tool to investigate how medical diagnoses elicit certain stereotypes and biases, such as being denoted as a “weird” kid. Additionally it could be used as a way to create dialogue surrounding the cultural and societal norms that surround the ideas of being “normal” as well as raising questions about accommodations in the built environment and the social model of disability.

Neurodivergent Narratives

Sandra Coral is a student, teacher, writer, podcaster, and learner all about neurodivergence. They have multiple social media sites (instagram, twitter, Facebook) that are publically accessible and focus on promoting education and awareness about neurodivergence. She is autistic and has ADHD and shares her own experiences via through written posts, videos, and podcasts on topics such as sensory processing, fitting in, masking, and burnout. Sandras’s sites could be utilized in a classroom setting as narratives from someone who is neurodivergent told in their own voice. The link below is to the Facebook page, where the About profile provides links to other platforms. Her social media posts are useful not only for discussing neurodivergent narratives, but also for reflecting on what constitutes a narrative (small individual posts retelling everyday life? the accumulation of posts over time?). In contrast, her Substack includes longer posts that more clearly resemble stories.

Community Conversations – Epiphany’s Story

In this short video posted by the Medical College of Wisconsin, Epiphany Gold, shares her experience with depression. As the pandemic started, Epiphany struggled with her mental health due to the isolation, losing her mom, and failing her nursing exams, something that had been an anchor for her. Epiphany shares how she no longer felt like she could continue to go on, not even for her child which was the sign that she needed to go therapy. She reflects how she feels therapy saved her as well as her life. This video engages with the topic of what it means to be in relation to others, specifically your child, while struggling with mental health. This video could be used to explore ways in which systems, or the lack thereof, of social support aid in the general well being of people, especially in regard to mental health.

States of Grace

The film States of Grace intimately captures the profound transformation of a revered physician and her family in the wake of a life-changing accident. Dr. Grace Dammann, a pioneering AIDS specialist and devout Buddhist who was honored by the Dalai Lama, was driving across the Golden Gate Bridge on her routine commute when another driver crashed head on into her car. After seven weeks in a coma and a dozen surgeries, Grace miraculously awoke with her cognitive abilities intact, though her body was left shattered. States of Grace follows her return home to where her partner Nancy “Fu” Schroeder becomes Grace’s primary caregiver, while also caring for their teenage daughter Sabrina, who was born with cerebral palsy. Grace, meanwhile, must reconcile her joy at still being alive with the frustration of being so dependent on others. Through verité footage and interviews with doctors, family, and friends, the film paints an inspiring portrait of devotion and trust as it delicately documents one woman’s fight to reinvent herself. Through Grace and Fu’s story, this film explores many aspects of health studies, including the shift from provider to patient, role redefinition when a family member becomes a primary caregiver, the role that spirituality can play in healing, parenthood, and more.