Mad Pride brings together psychiatric survivor insight and knowledge
"Mad Pride recognizes the strength and achievements of psychiatric survivors, consumer/survivors and mad people," said Stackhouse, the director of Friendly Spike Theatre Band and a Mad Pride organizer. "It's arts education and identity recognition and history."
Mad Pride events draw more than 500 people, both people who use and provide psychiatric service, from all over Toronto.
"It brings together a wonderful group of people who have insight and knowledge of which to change the world with," Stackhouse said. "Ultimately the world is a better place because of this event."
Toronto Psychiatric Survivors started holding a yearly event in 1993. In 2000, Stackhouse said it aligned with Global Mad Pride to create Mad Pride Toronto.
July 14 is Mad Pride Day all over the world and from 3 to 5 p.m., Mad Pride Toronto will hold the opening ceremonies at 1001 Queen St. W. in Training Room A and B to kick off a week-long Mad Pride celebration.
Opening ceremonies are followed by tours, lead by Geoffrey Reaume, of the patient-built wall at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The subsequent week is packed with discussions, poetry readings, meals, workshops, awards and the second annual Mad Pride Bed Push Parade on Saturday, July 19.
"The Bed Push is a highlight," Stackhouse said. "We dress a gurney up like a bed and the sheets have words of empowerment like hope, faith, education on it."
Lead by a local drumming group, the push begins at CAMH and travels along Queen Street West to the Parkdale Activity - Recreation Centre.
"It's a pride parade and the statement is we are pushing out of the medical model and into the community," Stackhouse said.
All Mad Pride events are free and accessible. Visit http://web.mac.com/lavarius/madpridetoronto/home.html for details.
