Stigma Across Student Experience
75 Minutes
Guided Discussion
Nanay
Guided Discussion
Rompiendo Olas
Guided Discussion
Staging Face
Guided Discussion
Closing Thoughts and Evaluations
Participants will be able to:
Consider how mental health is thought about or talked about in their own cultural communities
Draw conclusions about protagonists and make interpretations through reflection and discussion
Evaluate the impacts of stigma on the mental wellness and lives of protagonists
Describe how culture and stigma are interrelated, and how insight around both can help us support others
In this professional development (PD) class, educators will have the opportunity to consider how stigma around mental illness impacts people differently based on their lived experience of culture and community. Three documentary short films tell true stories of people from a range of backgrounds whose experiences of mental health are as unique as they are. Educators will have the opportunity to consider how our students’ backgrounds might impact their mental health as well as opportunities to better support them.
Note: An optional supplementary material about Identity and Cultural Dimensions of Mental Health is included as a resource. It is not explicitly built into the class or the minimum time required estimate.
topics covered
Cultural Stigma, Depression, Intergenerational Trauma, Stigma
aom nutrients
Empathy, Deep-Rooted Values, Honest Self Reflection
casel sel
Self-awareness, Social awareness, Responsible decision making
wellness wheel
Emotional, Social
identities
Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, East Asian, White, Man / male, Nonbinary, Trans, Adult, Older adult, Immigrant, LGBTQ, Farmer
film style
Documentary
Films Included
Nanay
Nanay is a 5 minute documentary following two Filipino Canadians who recount their experiences as children of Filipina migrant workers. Their stories unveil the alienation, confusion, and trauma that impacts immigrant Filipino Canadian families within which mothers are separated from husbands and children for many years because of labour migration and labour export policy.
film style
Documentary
identities
East Asian, Adult, Immigrant
Rompiendo Olas
An intimate and poetic documentary of migration, family unity and a search for healing the self, Rompiendo Olas centers on a young migrant worker who periodically fights a personal battle with anxiety and depression. Describing his illness as intense “olas que rompen/waves that break.” His struggles and health exploration are the focus of our story.
film style
Documentary
identities
Latino/a/x, Man / male, Older adult, Immigrant, Farmer
Staging Face
Under the spotlight, in front of a crowded room, drag performers are given permission to share our most authentic selves with almost certain acceptance. When the show is over and we leave our safe spaces, how do we cope with the realities of a less-than-forgiving world? What faces do we wear? Follow several captivating artists as they navigate the complexities of gender identity, community, and mental health – and learn how they became masters in staging face.
film style
Documentary
identities
Black, Indigenous, White, Nonbinary, Trans, Adult, LGBTQ