Host: Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Genesis Laboy, an outreach specialist with Mental Health PEER Connection (MHPC), and I'm your host, Ernie Churchwell, welcome back to the show, Genesis. 

Guest: Hi, thank you for having me. 

Host: It's our pleasure. You're here because you're the person that knows the most about an exciting new outreach where you're going to be talking to people and putting them all together in a podcast that anybody that wants to can join. 

What can you tell us about what's going to occur in your docuseries? 

Guest: Yeah. So essentially it's an open and safe space for people to speak on their experiences with mental health, whatever that may entail. And as it says in the advertisement, it's about conceptualizing the condition itself, right, the challenges that it brings, how it affects our lives, and how we have to learn to adapt to it and how we find strength in that adaptation. 

So just again, generally everything that kind of goes into experiencing a mental health challenge. 

Host: So this will all ultimately serve the purpose of decreasing stereotyping and stigma that often tends to go with being classified as having a mental health situation. What's those sort of things do you anticipate being able to capture? I know you're just getting this off the starting blocks come to think of it. By any chance have you recruited anyone yet? 

Guest: So I have a few colleagues that want to be on it. I know that Annie is one of them and then Sam was speaking on perhaps being on it as well. But from there I haven't really heard from anyone else. 

Host: Well, as I say, it's this is just at the very beginning and it's probably coming out what sometime in the spring or earlier. 

Guest: It might be it might be earlier. Yeah, I know that for sure in 2024. I don't think it has been decided officially what date that would be. 

Host: Alright, I'm sure you've piqued some peoples' curiosity before we forget to get around to it. If someone is interested in participating in this, how can they contact you? 

Guest: They can reach me at 716-836-0822, ext. 132 or they can email me at glaboy@wnyil.org and then just kind of express general interest, however they see fit. 

Host: Alright and I guess would the keyword that people should mention is docuseries? 

Guest: Yes, please, if they can mention perhaps the title in the subject line. 

Host: Alright, what's the full title of it? 

Guest: “Behind the Scenes: A Docuseries on Mental Health” 

Host: Now that does sound impressive. And are there particular types of experiences that you hope people will be sharing with you? 

Guest: I think because it's an open and safe space, whatever it is that they feel comfortable sharing, the more the better of course, because people get a bigger picture of just what goes into experiencing this in life so hopefully we get a bunch of interest and hopefully we get a lot of people sharing just different aspects of what the experience entails. 

Host: Over the years, MHPC has worked with a number of community partners in an attempt to destigmatize mental conditions. In fact, we even had an 8-minute video focused on elementary school children. It's called It's in the Bag where kids at the ball park find themselves talking to Peanut who objects to their referring to people that act strangely as being nuts.  

Would you believe we're almost out of time if you could repeat the phone number for people to call to get you? 

Guest: Yeah, it's going to be 716-836-0822, ext 132. 

Host: Thanks so much for being with us, Genesis. 

Guest: Thank you so much for having me, Ernie. 

Host: You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of WNYL. Our guest today was Genesis Laboy, outreach specialist with MHPC. And I've been your host, Ernie Churchwell.