[The Stage is on Fire] is a page-turner in which, much like life, there are no easy answers and yet each step of the journey yields insight and hope. This work of heart must not be missed!
Melanie Faith
Creative Writing Teacher, Essayist & Poet.
Katie Steedly’s first-person piece [The Unspeakable Gift] is a riveting retelling of her participation in a National Institutes of Health study that aided her quest to come to grips with her life of living with a rare genetic disorder. Her writing is superb.
The Society of Professional Journalists
In recognition of receiving the Dateline Award for the Washingtonian Magazine essay, The Unspeakable Gift.
I thank you … It is the authenticity of your “class notes”; and it is the delicacy and skill with which you present the nuances of classroom life and the actuality of your students’ and fellow teachers’ lives.
Maxine Greene
Philosopher and Education Scholar
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Finding Words: The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation
Five people in Ohio die every day by suicide. The Ohio Department of Health reports that in 2020, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death among Ohioans 10-14 years of age, the 3rd leading cause among Ohioans 15-34 years of age, and the 14th leading cause of death in Ohio overall. Everyone has a connection to suicide. Everyone has a story about how suicide has touched their lives. Stories humanize the statistics.
I want to share a few stories of people who have crossed our path at the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) to illustrate the relationship between support, survival, and hope. Each story speaks of a journey to hope. Laurita grew up in a violent home and suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She learned the importance of seeking help to heal her wounds as an adult. Elijah and his mother, N’Shay, exemplify the power of a family equipped to weather life’s storms with practical and loving communication skills. As the mother of three young children, Julie lost her husband, Steve, to suicide. She turned to art to process her loss. Listen to their stories. You will hear common themes. Life can be better than we can imagine in our darkest moments. A mental health and wellness journey is possible with self-care and support. Seeking and finding support is vital to life
Read the entire post “Finding Words: The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation” here
About Katie
From Louisville. Live in Atlanta. Curious by nature. Researcher by education. Writer by practice. Grateful heart by desire.
Buy the Book!
The Stage Is On Fire, a memoir about hope and change, reasons for voyaging, and dreams burning down can be purchased on Amazon.
