"Love Me or Leave Me" - Phase 1
Donation protected
For those who may not know, I am working on getting my Master's Degree in Communications. Wanting to tie communications to entertainment, I have been blessed to learn a lot about Entertainment Education (Social Change/Influence through entertainment). I am a firm believer that people will learn something better by watching something entertaining, than by being told what needs to be done. I also want to make a difference in the types of programming that people have the option of viewing.
This production of "Love Me or Leave Me" (working title), is about the ties between Drug Addiction, Mental Abuse, and Incarceration.
Unfortunately, everyone has either been affected by drugs or has known someone who has been affected due to drugs. Today, there are programs and productions that dramatically focus on physical abuse, but few focus on mental abuse. I find that this topic is critical to address. Although physical abuse is a radical form of domestic violence, it at least has the chance to be found through the naked eye, as one can usually see the bruises being left behind. However, mental abuse is a silent killer. It can't be seen, and if the person being abused doesn't share this mental abuse with someone, no one will ever know. This type of abuse can lead to permanent emotional scars and possibly death. Many abusers come from a background of drugs or incarceration and in a lot of cases, both.
Here are some facts:
In September 2014, 50% of all sentenced Federal prison inmates were incarcerated due to drug offenses (Drug War Facts, n.d.)
In 2010, 78% of violent crimes had some sort of drugs involved (Home Health Testing, 2010).
Back in 1998, the New York Times announced that after a three-year study, records showed that “Illegal drugs and alcohol helped lead to the imprisonment of 4 out of 5 inmates in the nation's prisons and jails (Wren, 1998).
In 2002, The Department of Justice found that 36% of victims in domestic violence programs also had problems with substance abuse” (Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse, 2011).
My final goal is to create a web series that will be used in drug programs and within the jail system to help the rehabilitation process. It will also be made available amongst singles groups, to help prevent people falling into bad situations and recognizing the dangers of getting involved with someone who expresses certain characteristics.
As of now, for my thesis, the first step is to do a live staged reading of the production. The audience members will be asked to participate in a before and after study to see how the script affected them. We will be measuring the change of understanding and concern. The stage play will be filmed so that it can be shown to future donors, and grants will be sought in order to create the 2nd phase of this production, by creating the web series.
The funds I am currently seeking will go toward the scriptwriter, the director, the actors, the videographer and for promotional materials.
Levels of giving:
$2 - $19 - Free ticket to the live staged reading
$20 - $39 - Name in program
$40 and Up - Business card size ad (2 x 3.5)
For any amount you can give, I greatly thank you for your love and support in the vision. And, the community thanks you for helping your next door neighbor, friend or relative learn more about drug and mental abuse and how to not be a victim.
God Bless YOU!
This production of "Love Me or Leave Me" (working title), is about the ties between Drug Addiction, Mental Abuse, and Incarceration.
Unfortunately, everyone has either been affected by drugs or has known someone who has been affected due to drugs. Today, there are programs and productions that dramatically focus on physical abuse, but few focus on mental abuse. I find that this topic is critical to address. Although physical abuse is a radical form of domestic violence, it at least has the chance to be found through the naked eye, as one can usually see the bruises being left behind. However, mental abuse is a silent killer. It can't be seen, and if the person being abused doesn't share this mental abuse with someone, no one will ever know. This type of abuse can lead to permanent emotional scars and possibly death. Many abusers come from a background of drugs or incarceration and in a lot of cases, both.
Here are some facts:
In September 2014, 50% of all sentenced Federal prison inmates were incarcerated due to drug offenses (Drug War Facts, n.d.)
In 2010, 78% of violent crimes had some sort of drugs involved (Home Health Testing, 2010).
Back in 1998, the New York Times announced that after a three-year study, records showed that “Illegal drugs and alcohol helped lead to the imprisonment of 4 out of 5 inmates in the nation's prisons and jails (Wren, 1998).
In 2002, The Department of Justice found that 36% of victims in domestic violence programs also had problems with substance abuse” (Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse, 2011).
My final goal is to create a web series that will be used in drug programs and within the jail system to help the rehabilitation process. It will also be made available amongst singles groups, to help prevent people falling into bad situations and recognizing the dangers of getting involved with someone who expresses certain characteristics.
As of now, for my thesis, the first step is to do a live staged reading of the production. The audience members will be asked to participate in a before and after study to see how the script affected them. We will be measuring the change of understanding and concern. The stage play will be filmed so that it can be shown to future donors, and grants will be sought in order to create the 2nd phase of this production, by creating the web series.
The funds I am currently seeking will go toward the scriptwriter, the director, the actors, the videographer and for promotional materials.
Levels of giving:
$2 - $19 - Free ticket to the live staged reading
$20 - $39 - Name in program
$40 and Up - Business card size ad (2 x 3.5)
For any amount you can give, I greatly thank you for your love and support in the vision. And, the community thanks you for helping your next door neighbor, friend or relative learn more about drug and mental abuse and how to not be a victim.
God Bless YOU!
Organizer
Je T' Aime
Organizer
Winston-Salem, NC
