This Is My Brave- Eagle Valley 2022
locals share stories of resilience and recovery at inaugural This Is My Brave! event in Edwards
Seven community members use various mediums to share their experiences with mental illness, suicidal ideation and addiction
CAST
SARAH ALDER
Sarah E. Alder (she/her) grew up in Ogden, UT with a large family. She joined the Army from 2000-2008 and was deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom (ORF) and Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) for the Salt Lake City Olympics. Sarah completed two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) in Sociology and Professional & Technical Writing. In 2017, she started working at the Department of Veterans Affairs; concurrently, she served as President of the only LGBTQ Veteran Service Organization (VSO) in the state. Sarah continues to serve as a leader in the veteran community and is extremely passionate about Mental Health Awareness, healing and community engagement. She lives in Summit County with her wife, daughter and many animals and loves public speaking, cycling, hiking, coffee, and traveling.
SEAN BOGGS
Since the eighties, Sean Boggs (he/him) has been living vicariously through himself. He currently lives in Eagle County, CO and is a world traveler who has been quoted as saying "I ain't pretty but I do smell bad." He's a self made hundred aire and an acid reflux survivor. He is an active activist against world suck. He's reported to be a mediocre stunt double for himself, and as a result, a huge contributor in orthopedic benevolence. He is funny, has fantastic people skills, is pretty good at making photographs and can be fun to work with. Sean is the Director, Executive Producer and Camera Man for the short film 'Dear Dad'. Connect with Sean via his website https://www.seanfboggs.com/ or Instagram @seanfboggs and @people_photographer_colorado
CHRIS DAVIS
Chris Davis (he/him) is a Vail local and was heavily involved in school athletics growing up. In high school, he was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Depression. Towards the end of high school, he received several consecutive concussions that forever changed him. Although his life has altered its course, Chris is still involved with many of the things he loves most; the outdoors, hockey, music and a wholesome community.
SHERRY HALL
Sherry Hall (she/her) worked as a medical secretary for most of her career. She also owned an “Upscale Thrift Boutique” in Paradise, California, as well as a Pet Sitting business in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was a single mother to two handsome sons, David and Gary, who was called “Bear.” She shares the grief she has experienced in losing Bear (Gary) to suicide in February 2020.
MYKI JONES
Mykaela “Myki” Jones (she/they) is an established freelance reporter, poet, and astrology geek who happens to be living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She is a journalist for The Sopris Sun in Carbondale, CO as well as occasionally Aspen Daily News and is currently working on her novel I Ain’t Settlin’, a fictionalized retelling of her traumas meant to help empower survivors. Myki is active across many forms of social media but is primarily active on Instagram @mykivixen and TikTok @that0nepunk
ALEX MINTLING
Alex K. Mintling is a Vail Valley building contractor who once suffered from Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). In January 2019, while recovering from his physical and emotional injuries as a result of a “recreational logging” accident Alex started a podcast titled “The Builder’s Journey”. His podcast can only be described as “eclectic,” and he often uses offbeat humor to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and promote suicide prevention. Listen to Alex’s podcast here https://thebuildersjourney.com/ and follow him on Twitter @TBJPodcast
DANI RODRIGUEZ
Dani Rodriguez (she/her) was born in Chile in 1985. She arrived in Eagle County in 2009 and has dedicated herself to education in recent years. When she turned 33, Dani discovered the art of storytelling and the creation of monologues. At the same time, she ventured into amateur theater in a virtual format. In the audiovisual arts, Dani found a space to create characters and explore her personal experiences in a healthy way to finally take responsibility for her changes. Dani seeks to continue in the world of the arts as long as there is life. Her approach is clearly for love of herself. In each character, she looks for a part of herself that does not allow her to advance, and she receives it with respect to finally show her audience a part of it authentically and naturally. Dani loves to travel and be with family.
PRODUCTION TEAM
ERIN IVIE (SHE/HER): PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD / FIDELITY PARTNER
It has been a dream of mine to bring a This is My Brave Show to the Eagle River Valley for years. As the Executive Director of SpeakUp ReachOut, I find storytelling to be one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce stigma and stop suicide in our community. After losing my friend Luke to suicide in 2007, I found that every time I shared my story of loss, people would come up after the presentation and whisper about the loved one that they had lost. I truly believe that we can change how we look at mental health one story at a time because each of those stories reminds someone that they are not alone.
LAURA ALVAREZ (SHE/HER): CO-PRODUCER
Struggling with depression as a youth and young adult, Laura now advocates for mental health awareness and reducing stigmas through her work with SpeakUp ReachOut. She believes that giving a voice to mental health problems, especially in young people, is important in creating change. Though her on-stage career never materialized past high school musical chorus roles, she participated as a storyteller in a live event as a teen and shared her story of overcoming obstacles at that time. She is very excited to be a part of this unique production and to be able to support others in their storytelling journey.
Laura has called the Vail Valley home for 11 years and lives in Edwards with her husband. In her free time she enjoys traveling, cooking, hiking in the summer and snowboarding in the winter.
CAROLINE BRADFORD (SHE/HER): FUNDRAISING MANAGER
As the mom of a young adult who struggled with identity, social anxiety and depression since childhood, I know how scary it can be for parents like us. When the worry of losing my daughter to suicide creeps into my thoughts, I take a moment to visualize her using the healthy coping skills inspired by wilderness therapy. This reinforces my faith in her future and my own mental health. While I dedicate my work to supporting suicide prevention across our community, I am full of hope that she is bravely authoring her own fascinating story of resilience with each new day.
LESLIE ROBERTSON (SHE/HER): PR/MARKETING COORDINATOR
As a long-time resident of the Eagle River Valley, I have seen the mental health struggles, substance misuse, isolation and more that have lead to a higher-than-average rate of suicide in our small community. When a suicide occurs here, the ripple effect touches almost everyone. That’s why it is so powerful when people share their stories. Stigmas are broken down, seeking help is normalized, and it brings us closer together as a community. Most importantly, it shows others who are struggling that they are not alone and that they can find a way out of the darkness. Storytelling saves lives, as This is My Brave likes to say, and I’m excited to see the impact it has on our Brave storytellers and our local community members.
DR. TERESA HAYNES, PSYD (SHE/HER): MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
Teresa Haynes is a Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Director with Your Hope Center in Eagle, Colorado. Teresa graduated with a BS in Psychology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, a MS from Troy State University and a Psy.D. from Colorado School of Professional Psychology. She was licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in 2013.
Teresa is honored to be a part of the SpeakUp ReachOut event This is My Brave. She is passionate about decreasing the stigma of mental health and supporting others in finding their voices and speaking their truths on the path to healing. https://www.yourhopecenter.org/
TRAVIS WILSON (HE/HIM): SHOW DIRECTOR
Travis Wilson is delighted to be a part of this wonderful collaboration to promote mental health awareness. Born and raised in rural Georgia, Travis has lived in Colorado for nine years and is a graduate of Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs with a Bachelor’s in Sustainable Studies and an Associate of Arts with a Theatre Emphasis. Travis has acted and worked with several theatre companies in the Roaring Fork Valley and sits on multiple art boards. Travis also volunteers much time in helping to promote mental health awareness and hopes to someday work in peer support and beyond. Being someone who has gone through their own mental health struggles and successes, Travis’ long term goal is to help sustain mental health in the Western Slope and help others find the bravery that lives within them.
KIRBY LEMON (SHE/HER): PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Kirby Lemon is proud to join the production team for This Is My Brave. She recently began work with SpeakUp ReachOut, the suicide prevention coalition for Eagle County to bring suicide prevention service and awareness to the community. She believes in the power of storytelling, art, and entertainment to change lives and end the stigma surrounding mental health by creating a community of honesty and strength through struggle. Kirby is excited to support the Brave storytellers in sharing their stories and bringing This Is My Brave to the Vail Valley.
ELIAN MARQUEZ (HE/HIM): PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Elian Marquez was born and raised in the Vail Valley and has always seen the need for mental health awareness in the community. He has recently taken a job with SpeakUp ReachOut to create change within the LatinX community and hopes to break the stigma of mental health. By being a part of This is My Brave, he believes we are a step closer to becoming more welcoming and informed about mental health; we are in this together.