Actors will demonstrate conversations on racism, the mental health implications, and offer resources and solutions.
Actors and a facilitator from The New Jersey Mental Health Players (NJMHP) will role play different scenarios on racism, and the audience members are invited to help problem-solve.
Participants will
• Receive an overview of racism and its impact on mental health.
• Participate in an interactive demonstration of an uncomfortable conversation about racism.
• Exchange strategies for self-care, resilience, and healing
• Receive mental health resources and support information.
This program is part of The Uncomfortable Change Series of the NJMHP. The Uncomfortable Change Series explores the emotional discomfort of cognitive dissonance and its impact on mental health in a variety of settings including work, home, and school by showcasing uncomfortable conversations in the form of dramatic role-play and improv with a climactic cliff-hanger. While the actors remain in character, the audience is then invited to engage and interact in a facilitated question and answer portion. The presentation concludes with mental health players de-rolling and the facilitator providing information, resources, and next steps.
About the New Jersey Mental Health Players: The NJMHP is the longest-running community education program of its type in New Jersey. The mission of the NJMHP’s is to utilize improv, art, role-play, and scenarios to increase education and awareness, decrease stigma and break the silence often associated with mental health, addiction, and recovery. The NJMP’s are volunteers throughout the state of New Jersey. These volunteers are culturally diverse and include teens, adults, and seniors. The NJMHP program combines performance art and advocacy.
Presented by Common Grounds and the Roxbury Public Library.
Common Grounds is a local 501(c)3 and ongoing series that explores and facilitates civil conversation on race, political beliefs, gender, creed and more, celebrating diversity in Roxbury. Presentations in partnership with Roxbury Public Library since September 2020 have included a virtual workshop Skills for Bridging the Political Divide through Braver Angels, community panels on women and leadership, and a local panel On Race and Racism: A Roxbury Conversation, and Black History: From Civil War to Black Lives Matter, Allyship and Inclusion, a discussion on the film “Brian Banks” and Black People’s Incarceration, Unlearning False Racial Myths, a LGBTQ+ Living/Personal History Panel, an LGBTQ+ panel on pronouns, acronyms and gender identity, and substantial celebrations in honor of Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month (La Fiesta), and Black History Month.
Register online or by calling the Roxbury Public Library.
AGE GROUP: | Seniors | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Health & Wellness | General | Arts & Entertainment |
The Roxbury Township Public Library is a municipal library serving the communities of Succasunna, Ledgewood, Landing, Berkshire Valley, Port Morris, and Kenvil. Residents of the township are eligible to a free library card which enables access to 2.8 million items across the Morris Library Alliance including digital books, museum passes and more.