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What better way to honor National Brain Injury Awareness Month than by showing Who Am I To Stop It, I ask you. How about showing that film for free sponsored by the Brain Institute at OHSU? I’ll take it!
A few years back, I screened a film that had absolutely nothing to do with TBI for a brain injury awareness month event. I think it was weird for audience because everyone else there told their personal story of how they got injured and what they’re up to now. But you know me. I almost never talk about those things. I asked the audience to remain aware that my film would relate because…people with TBI impairments can be filmmakers, and maybe sometimes we’re talking about something besides TBI or in addition to TBI. I think Who Am I To Stop It is definitely the right film to show in March, because this film shows an unfiltered view into the complexity of life after TBI from several people with really different life experiences. If you want to really have genuine awareness of life with brain injury, you have to be open to the stories and experiences that don’t always directly relate to brain injury, and most especially those stories that highlight stigma, isolation, and the ways people push up against those forces with their art and storytelling.
Screening details: Tuesday, March 20th
4:30 – 6:30 pm
Vey Auditorium at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 11th Floor at OHSU
Film has Open Captions for all
There are a few open spots for wheelchair seating
Panel discussion with the filmmakers and OHSU concussion experts following the film
Served by TriMet line #8 and the Aerial Tram to Marquam Hill
RSVP requested to stoutk@ohsu.edu
Cupcakes will be for sale at the event from Sarah Bellum’s Workshop & Bakery. They’re a social enterprise bakery that supports adults with brain injury to return to work and life by baking delicious, hand-crafted cupcakes. If you’re even just the least bit interested in eating cupcakes, I would urge you to come with some cash or plastic and room in your belly and fridge (for the extra ones). Sarah Bellum’s cupcakes are indescribably delicious. Best of all, there’s always the chance that you’ll buy some made by Brandon Scarth, one of the stars of Who Am I To Stop It. I know. Seriously. Who else do you know who stars in a documentary film and makes the food served at the film screening? Don’t underestimate my community!
2 responses to “Film screening at the OHSU Brain Institute”
Sarah Bellum! I get it! What eluded me for quite awhile though is how it could be National Brain Injury Awareness Month at the same time as it’s National Brain Awareness Week. Brain Awareness Week is the only Awareness I’ve ever been aware of—since I was but a junior neuroscientist-in-training. Seems ye olde Society for Neuroscience doesn’t have the lock on either brains or awareness. Incidentally, National Cupcake Day is December 15th.
I was almost in a comedy duo years ago where my character was going to be Sarah Bellum, and my partner was Sir Ebrum. Would’ve been good stuff, but I think we just went back to drinking coffee and planning it. I hadn’t heard of the awareness week till your comment just now. Very confusing for those of us who’ve lost the ability to comprehend calendars, huh? I might make a motion to move National Cupcake Day to a BI awareness month or week to boost sales for Sarah Bellum’s bakery!