Democracy Defenders

 

By Netera Landar

Democracy Defenders' Headquarters.

A virtual world can be a platform for Americans to protect their rights and voice their disapproval. A January 31 event introduced me to Democracy Defenders, a Second Life group established by Lizbeth Portland, with assistance from Monique Travis, in March of 2025.

According to Lizbeth, Democracy Defenders is a grassroots activist group in Second Life committed to protecting the core values of American democracy.

Educating the public through posters.

“In the face of growing political polarization and threats to our freedoms from the destructive and dangerous Trump administration and MAGA, we advocate for civil rights and the protection of democratic institutions, and we work to ensure the continued functioning of a government that serves all citizens,” said Lisbeth. “Through education, mobilization, and direct action, our mission is to empower individuals to take a stand against this traitorous administration and in support of a just, inclusive, and resilient democracy.”

Asked whether the group follows the direction of a real-life Defending Democracy group, Lizbeth replied that it exists only in Second Life. Her group follows real-life groups and movements such as Indivisible, MoveOn, 50501, the Women’s March, and others to stay informed about nationwide actions like No Kings and to stay connected to and engaged in real-life resistance efforts.

RoseDrop Rust performing during the event.

The goal of the “Smashing Fascism” event was to raise awareness in Second Life about resistance to the current administration’s unjust actions and to continue building the in-world coalition of antifascist, pro-democracy resisters. 

Those who attended were encouraged to join two other active resistance groups: Indivisible and Café Resistance. Group joiners for both groups were posted, and Lizbeth encourages those who attended to join all three groups.

“Many people came to Democracy Defenders feeling as though they are alone in Second Life in their opposition to this fascist regime and are happy to learn that there are many others in Second Life who share their world view,” said Lizbeth. 

She added that music brings people together and that, for many years, musicians have addressed the need for social justice. That the event’s artists, Justine Johndory and RoseDrop Rust, were passionate in expressing their anti-MAGA and pro-democracy views, both in what they sang and what they said. This energized the crowd.

A comfortable meeting area in DD Headquarters.

 

Members of Democracy Defenders meet at 6 p.m. on Thursdays. Other events and protests will be scheduled in the future. Lizbeth hopes the multi-group coalition continues to grow and join forces. Organizers of the other two groups are Lorelei.Lavender of Indivisible and Persephone Phoenix of Café Resistance. 

Lizbeth said the groups’ main goals overlap, but they have distinct activities and unique goals. Democracy Defenders is fairly new, while the other two groups are more established. 

Posters promoting freedom of speech.

“Lori and I have spoken about bringing Indivisible and Democracy Defenders together for a combined action, perhaps around the upcoming third ‘No Kings Day’ in March,” said Lizbeth. “We all cross-promote each other’s meetings and events, and we all make efforts to promote and attend the monthly ‘Live Music and Peaceful Protest’ events held by Blue Fox (theblueeyedfox).

I asked Lizbeth why it is so important to voice our opinions/disapproval of the current state of affairs in the U.S.? 

Read and understand the message.

“This lawless, racist, destructive administration is tearing this country apart --  murdering its citizens, terrorizing its neighborhoods, destroying the social safety net – the list goes on and on,” she stated. “If we remain silent, we are complicit in the criminality. We have no choice but to use our voices to speak out against the death of democracy and the rise of fascism. If we do nothing, nothing will ever change. Every action we take against this administration matters, no matter how small we think it may be. Calling our representatives in Congress matters. Taking part in SL resistance groups matters because it supports RL activist efforts. It all matters. And we need everyone to participate because what’s happening affects all of us – not only in the U.S., but around the world.”

Netera Landar
 

Echovets: Band of Brothers

 

 By Bixyl Shuftan

There's a new sim and group in Second Life for veterans: EchoVets - Band of Brothers

A place for Veterans by Veterans.  Newcomer friendly, VA Information, PTSD, Suicide Awareness, education, dance, free, gardens, fountain, games. Camaraderie with those that speak your language.  ALL are welcome, Brothers and Sisters.

I was told a little beforehand about the lady who ran it, Stacy Maracas. She has been in Second Life since Oct 2004, almost 18 years, and in real life works at a veterans center, her profile stating "ANYTHING a Veteran may have a question about, I am your resource, and if I do not know the answer, I assure you I will get it."

I contacted Stacy, and a meeting was soon arranged, "Been working my butt off," she commented when we met up, "I love busy.  If I didn't I'd be screwed, I wear too many hats to not like it." I mentioned that she had been a longtime resident, and asked how she got here. "I was apart of Second Life through friends in 2003," she told me, "I borrowed a friend's alternate, and came here as a lady named Kiwi." She chuckled, "I fell in love with it here, so first of October 2004 I created me. I like my name better. So next month, 18 years," she smiled, "I'm almost officially an adult in Second Life!

"There was no islands or anything then, only mainland, very small very cool. Also no skin, prim hair, and really bad clothing. But we ll thought we were the hottest things ever. HAH!"

I asked her how things went after her entrance. She answered, "It was well, a learning curve.  I was a Mafia Godmother here, roleplay etc.  It was a lot of fun to be honest, but the longer I was here I could see potential in just being myself here. I have always been myself, but I mean no roleplaying etc, just good 'ol Stacy which is my real-life name as well. I have been much happier since making the decision, have met some amazing friends here, and many that I came here with 18 yrs ago. I am still very close too and stay in touch here and in real-life. That is what kept me coming back, now that. And this sim is what will keep me here for a long time to come."

I then asked her what gave her the idea for the Band of Brothers sim. Stacy told me, "In my real world job, I work for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, at a place called The Vet Center in Lake Havasu, Arizona.  My proper job title is Veteran's Outreach Program Specialist or VOPS.  MY job everyday is to help Veterans.  I am a female combat Veteran myself (Desert Storm), so this is my passion and who I am.  I had reached out to the Lindens to ask them to put me on the destination guide and the itty-bitty land I had.

"Madori Linden reached out to me and asked me to have a meeting with her, and she is very passionate about Veterans, and suggested this sim, as a non--profit.  The non-profit I am President of in real-life is EchoVets.org Band of Brothers.  I got our EIN (the letter of proof from the IRS that the organization is a legitimate and registered Non-profit 501 3C) from our President to show off to Linden Labs of our legitimacy as a non-profit, the President wrote them a letter approving me to work on behalf of our group, I was given the price for a non-profit sim, and here we are.  Idea in full and now a reality. so to speak. Ha!"

Stacy went on, "There is a kiosk near the gigantic photo album that tells you about our real-life organization.  Also behind me is the kiosk of my military story, I remain transparent for trust purposes, as many Veterans in SL (including myself) have had their trust broken by others, and I refuse to be that person to them as I am here to help everyone. ... With Veterans, we have trust issues to begin with especially after combat or MST, so Second Life can be a very rough place at time when not everyone is honest.  However its also very healing on the other end of the spectrum as for many of our Veterans this is the only socialization they get."

Of the sim, getting a wide-shot of the whole place took a little time so things could rezz, but it was soon done. She stated she "wanted it to be a nice place, not only for education but to hang out as well." She did note one corner didn't have much on it for the time being, "and as you can see, one small area I'm waiting for items for to finish."

I pointed out the large building near us, which was close to the landmark location I was given. Stacy smiled, "This is the grand hall. Inside we will hold classes, Q & A's, Suicidal Awareness training for Veterans and people who work with Vets, PTSD classes, and a plethora of other things to aide in helping our Veterans AND their families and friends. (We will) have guest speakers, some from the VA, the President of the organiztion will come, and other guest speakers."

She pointed out the kiosks around the area, "Each of these kiosks out here have notecard information in them, we will actually have classes on each of them as well, with room for Q & A, etc."

At one point, Stacy had to take a break in the interview to take a phone call. She came back, and I brought up other places on the sim. "A club too, some small homes," she told me, "all of it to make it feel comfortable and a fun place to hang out/ We will do some club type events etc as well, but definitely not our focus. Our focus is socialization, education and helping one another."

I noticed a Vet Center. "Yes it is the main center," she told me, "set up as a familiar place to Veterans, and for future of what is to come, possible one on one counseling from our employees and simply being available in either world." She pointed out other places, "There is also a very large soldiers memorial fountain. I tried to have nice spots throughout to see and check out." Of the one corner that didn't have so much, "The last open spot net to the fountain will have some military vehicles displayed ... prior to the grand opening, just waiting for delivery."

I asked if anything inspired the particular designs of some of the places on the sim. Stacy answered, "When I found the hall it reminded me of the large place we would have our military training in, in Europe. So I had to have it and decided that would be used for the classes.  I wanted the Vet Center building to be professional yet welcoming as the Vet Center is in real-life and found that building it was perfect, the rest honestly no. I wanted memorial to my fallen brothers and sisters, hence the fountains. 

 

"Small items will be added here and there, but for the most part, the rest of the design was just what was in my head and what I know Veterans will want as a place to come and hang out. ... that is all that matters, and of course, breaking down some walls and making my brothers and sisters get off their butts and come socialize, and come seek help even if they don't know they need it."

Near the end, Stacy would say, "We all have two most important days of our lives.  One is the day we are born, and second is the day we figure out why. This is my why. I had REASONS to not take my own life, my children needed me, etc, but I had never found my WHY.  EchoVets.org Band of Brothers is my why, having the 'six' of my brothers and sisters and helping them thru their journeys so no Veteran ever has to be in a dark place again." She thanked me for taking the time to ask about the sim and reporting on it.

On a final note, while Stacy and I were talking, one of the Vet Centers counselors came by and noticed the computer screen. Seeing what was going on, she asked if "Fox News' had arrived.

The sim is located at: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/EchoVets%20BandofBrothers/166/212/23

Bixyl Shuftan

It Came From Bellisseria Chat: UFO Sighting

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

Chats in the Bellisseria group are often interesting. You might hear a joke from a Linden or Mole. You might hear some useful information, especially if you're after a Linden home. Often, there's a lot of joking around. Like on the afternoon of Thursday August 25 when one resident reported a spacecraft sighting, with photo evidence. 

 

[17:55] Teresa Firelight: I was standing on the deck of my stilt home when this thing suddenly appeared 10 M above me... not sure... think this is a bit too invasive into my space?  (image above)

[17:55] Marius Darkheart: aliens are here
[17:55] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): shoot it down
[17:55] AlexBrandon Resident: if its above your parcel ...yes
[17:56] AlexBrandon Resident: unless someone is building and had to move something

 

It had been hanging around for a few minutes

[17:56] Teresa Firelight: yea.. still there several minutes later.. here is view form another angle:? 
[17:56] Trish Philbin: YIKES !
[17:56] Marius Darkheart: Definitely aliens
[17:56] Teresa Firelight: there is a rez zone  next to my place.. pretty sure it is there cuz of rez zone, but would be nice if they moved on
[17:57] AlexBrandon Resident: definatly against the rules if it stays there
[17:57] Snowlord Resident: for sure it's pretty big. maybe they are trying to fly
[17:57] Trish Philbin: can you click on it and see if it has an owner name on it?
[17:57] Teresa Firelight: now it has lowered to my deck level and is smashing through my house.. maybe they are having trouble steering it?
[17:57] Marius Darkheart: Set phasers to stun.

Talk soon turned to just what this thing was.

[17:57] Snowlord Resident: it looks like a void ship, and if so, it's massive and meant more for a region. is someone there?
[17:57] AlexBrandon Resident: that's circa 2004 ...
[17:58] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): yes sometimes vehicles are bigger than the rezzone, but that thing is huge ... He ll most likely loose it on some full parcel on his trip
[17:58] AlexBrandon Resident: Just yell about how bad the build is
[17:58] Snowlord Resident: oh yes, could have lost part for sure
[17:58]   ͞C:ﾉﾌCtrlFaultyDelete ͞   (TonyBowlin Resident): Sadly switches phaser back from kill...
[17:58] Marius Darkheart: 2004 called and they want their UFO back
[17:58] Snowlord Resident: it's an amazing build if it's what I think it is. But yes its a bit much there
[17:58] AlexBrandon Resident: Just make sure its not Torley Linden driving it
[17:59] AlexBrandon Resident: Opppsss did I say that ?
[17:59] Marius Darkheart: lol
[17:59] Trish Philbin: lol
[17:59] Mel (MelpomeneThalia Atheria): It looks like a giant bot fly to me
[17:59] Snowlord Resident: i'd say IM the owner and see if they lost part of it

And then, just as soon as it appeared, it vanished.

 

[17:59] Teresa Firelight: wow that was a close encounter of the undesirable dimensio,. finally gone ... but pilot fying back to rez zone
[18:00] AlexBrandon Resident: lol
[18:00]   ͞C:ﾉﾌCtrlFaultyDelete ͞   (TonyBowlin Resident): Its just a d*ldo from one of those kinky vore sims.
[18:00] Snowlord Resident: is it by void Teresa? just curious
[18:00] AlexBrandon Resident: lol
[18:01] Atheas Zenovka: I think it's the Vogons mapping out the new expressway
[18:01] Teresa Firelight: Yes snow it is
[18:01]   ͞C:ﾉﾌCtrlFaultyDelete ͞   (TonyBowlin Resident): Run
[18:02] Teresa Firelight: There is a rez zone on the side of my house then a void
[18:02] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): towels...I sell towels...you need a towel
[18:02] Teresa Firelight: lol
[18:03] Snowlord Resident: ah okay. yes that ship is massive!!
[18:03] Teresa Firelight: looks like they finally decided to try and rez it somewhere else
[18:03] Snowlord Resident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvQa7tH16YI
[18:04] Snowlord Resident: it's literally meant for a full region lol
[18:04] Teresa Firelight: yea it looked some thing like that
[18:04] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): more of a art thing also
[18:05] Teresa Firelight: I think they were intending to fly it over the ocean regions
[18:05] Snowlord Resident: it's too big to be a daily traveler for sure. but i love voids creations. they are amazing!!
[18:05] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): looks smaller than Spykers ships tough
[18:05] Snowlord Resident: just unboxing one of their items is an experience in itself
[18:07] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E3fwQFo-UM
[18:07] Snowlord Resident: omg I tried to cam out on the youtube
[18:08] Snowlord Resident: that looks pretty nifty so far!!
[18:09] Marius Darkheart: Yeah.. wow.
[18:09] POMF (Denise Foxtrot): that one I linked is pre mesh and simsized ...but can flay and cross sims lol

Chat soon changed to other subjects. But no doubt this close encounter will be remembered for a while.

And if anyone asks, no, there was no sighting of Elvis (or Ray Stevens) in the area.

Image from Teresa Firelight

Bixyl Shuftan

Nonprofit Commons Celebrates Fourteen Years

 
By Gemma Cleanslate

I have been over to the Nonprofit Commons several times in past years to pick up materials for an event and  always thought I really should check into this place and write about it. I had perfect opportunity when Gentle Heron sent me an invitation to a meeting and the 14th anniversary party August 20. So it was a perfect opportunity to get to know about it all.

I arrived while Rhiannon Chatnoir,  AvaCon lead and Community Leader ,welcomed  everyone to this special weekly meeting which was also a celebration of the 14th anniversary of the NPC Commons. She spoke of the spirit of the mission of the commons focused on community.

The Mission  as stated on the website is “The mission of the Nonprofit Commons is to create a community of practice for social-good to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits and others might utilize these unique virtual environments to achieve their missions”. The NPC is peer governed and funded.

After the welcome there was open mike where members were encouraged to speak of the projects and organizations in which they might be involved and how to reach them on line.

Many offered information on their own missions in Second Life. I was familiar with so many of the members. To mention a few, ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville) was there as well as Gentle Heron of Virtual Ability, Valibrarian Gregg from the virtual library. Elli Pinion of the VWBPE , Buffy Beale member of the Board and the Mentor team. Other members of  the board and members of the commons also talked of their missions. It was interesting to see and hear  how many non profit organizations from all over the world are involved in this virtual world and use it to educate,  do workshops, share research and learn .

Rhainnon then  gave a short history of the commons in second life . In 2006 TechSOup began to have virtual weekly meetings led by their director of Online Community , Susan Tenby (Glitteractica Cookie). In 2007 TechSOup opened the region that was a NPC in Second Life .

In 2017  NPC became a peer-governed group which elected the first board. During those years many projects were taking place for the betterment of the world. Many coalitions were formed to effect projects as Buffy Beale spoke about . Many ideas were shared and acted upon . Common interests drew together small groups that collaborated together and still do. Many members have met outside of second life as well in their collaborations and at conventions.

Some comments from attendees expressed their feelings about the comaradarie of the Commons:

   Dancers Yao: For the past 14 years NPC has been an Oasis to share dreams and friendships. No matter what has happened in real life, I know there is a special place where people are kind and care about life. Thank You.

Rhiannon Chatnoir: it was great to see the social good community come together for early things like disaster relief, Info Island's community space that hosted the NPC in it's early day, and the eventual founding of our NPC community.

Zinnia Zauber: It is about making people belong and let their superpowers shine
I am grateful that I can encourage amazing teams through shared experiences and projects.

 Buffy Beale: Fourteen years of learning and networking and sparking ideas which inspired others to form real life nonprofits.: Amazing longevity for any community, never mind one where we are all pioneers in this virtual world. Cheering loudly!

 It  was a wonderful gathering and many shared more feelings about the NPC as the music played and members danced and enjoyed celebrating the anniversary.

At this time the NPC and has two regions, Plush, which is donated by the Anshe Chung Studios, and Aloft sponsored by  AvaCon Inc by donations.  https://www.avacon.org . I took a walking tour of the Aloft offices where I have been before to One Billion Rising to pick up greeter tees . I walked over into Plush which has just been rebuilt .

There seem to be new offices there waiting for new non profits.  The offices are very well furnished and have information about their specific purpose at their sites . To have an office there are rules about the time one must commit to the Commons, either at meetings or having office hours. Some non profits do not have an office perhaps because they have their own region, or cannot commit to hours , but they have Kiosks where you can find out about them. I saw one for Virtual Ability and Survivors of Suicide  for example.  They are still members of the group and participate in meetings and activities.  A non profit can find terms of agreement here  https://form.jotform.com/90761219372155 .   

To visit and explore you might like to start  at this location  where you will find a list of all the members of the NPC listed on the board and can teleport to any of the offices on the list .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aloft%20Nonprofit%20Commons/115/95/24 .

Gemma Cleanslate
 

Commentary: Why The Furry Fandom Isn't A Community

By Cyfiremmerich

The furry fandom, in both real life and Second Life, can be a protective bunch. It’s perfectly natural to protect something that you’re a part of; especially when that something hasn’t necessarily been portrayed in a positive light in many cases. However, sometimes things need to be put into perspective. Those who have been part of the fandom for a while have no doubt heard about groups of furs with mob mentality going after someone for doing something perceived as going against what everyone has been working towards in the “community;” that being respect and acceptance from the outside world. This is not something that only happens in the fandom, but it’s very prevalent within it.

Let’s put things into perspective, though. The furry community isn’t a community in and of itself. Having a common interest doesn’t mean that you’re part of the same group and that other groups who have the same interest are going to like your group or want to look out for the interests of other people with the same interest. Being a furry is an interest and has nothing to do with being part of a group, family, club, community, etc. I’ve seen many people who have viewed the furry fandom as a whole as one big extended family get disheartened and burned out, myself included. However, I’ve come to realize that you don’t have to worry about others that you don’t know, and letting go of that weight can greatly improve your well being.

There are many pockets of communities, groups, etc. within the furry fandom. That doesn’t mean that any one person or group speaks for the fandom as a whole. There is no president or committee of the furry fandom. This applies not just to real life, but Second Life as well which has a number of different furry communities and hangouts independent of one another.

Relax. Enjoy your day. Failing that, there’s plenty of other things to worry about in 2020.

Cyfir

Fearless Nation PTSD Support Virtual Community

By Bixyl Shuftan

Fearless Nation is a group and sim in Second Life with the purpose of helping people with Post-Tramautic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Their description is, "Fearless Nation PTSD Support is an RL 501c3 Nonprofit Organization for people with PTSD, their families, partners, children and communities: We provide education, support and advocacy. Since 2009 we've had a virtual, online community that spans distance, with a small carbon footprint bringing people together in a common goal: Trauma Recovery."

I recently had a talk with Anya Ibor  the director of the group, at the main building at the sim. "This is Main Library," she told me, "where there is lots of education/info about PTSD and an art gallery upstairs." After I asked how the group got started, she told me, "We started in 2009, on parcels I pulled together. There are many misconceptions, and lots of stigma about PTSD. We had a Library there, a small house, and meetings. I started to play around with virtual environments for people with PTSD, like a couple of nice meeting places, a Remembrance Place for loss and grieving, companion animals, Yoga Nidra (a mind/sleeping yoga), information on nutrition and bodycare for PTSD, creative arts and art therapy. The idea is: Engage with your avatar, and then take it to RL for PTSD symptoms."

I asked about the misconceptions. Anya answered, "Misconceptions about PTSD include: Thinking that we are 'ticking time bombs,' that we pose a threat to others, that we are weak and unreliable, that we are psychotic. Not true, unless there is a co-morbid psycholigical condition that includes psychosis or voilence. That is rare. Also, veterans and military make up only a minority of PTSD sufferers, most of use are victims of crime, and all abuse (psychological, physical, sexual). Our group includes military in real life, but mostly police personnel, trauma therapists, EMTs, survivors of abuse--and we have people engaged here who are trauma therapists and friends and family who have what is known as 'secondary' or vicarious PTSD."

And when did Anya think the public was starting to take PTSD seriously? "In the late 70s/early 80s," she told me, "through the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and Judith Herman, working with Viet Nam vets and crime victims -- I can send you more detailed information about the pioneers of PTSD. Now it is more widely accepted however, there is still a great deal of misinformation out there. After 9/11 and all the wars of the last 20 years PTSD has gained much more ground in research and simply 'being believed.' The psychiatric/psychological community has made great strides in PTSD understanding. For example, the DSM-5 (2013) separated PTSD from anxiety disorders and put it in its own trauma-centered category. Because there are different types of PTSD, C-PTSD, Combat PTSD, etc. and PTSD is the only condition caused by external forces. For example, some ppl with PTSD have a 'before trauma' and after trauma" view, and some never knew anything but trauma from childhood. But the symptoms remain the same across the spectrum of PTSD.

"So far we have gotten strongly positive feedback. So because I have been getting my Ph.D. in psychology, I focused in doing my Dissertation research on the lived experiences of ppl with PTSD who engae in SL (virtual worlds). The formal name of the study, conducted under Walden University's Institutional Review Board is named: 'The Experiences of PTSD Sufferers Who Participate in Internet-Based Virtual World Activities in Desktop Virtual Reality Environments (DVREs).' ”

I brought up the study, mentioning she was looking for volunteers. Anya answered, "Yes. I need 5 more people with PTSD who are active in SL/virtual worlds to answer a ten item questionnaire about how their lived experiences in SL might affect, or not, ther PTSD. The study is completely confidential and private per APA Ethics Code and Walden University standards. All identifying information will be coded and hidden. So no one has to worry that their real-life identification will be revealed."

And where did the idea for the study come from? The idea came from, well, me," she answered, "I have PTSD and back in 2009 when through work for IEEE Standards Association in RL I was introduced to SL/Virtual Worlds. I started noticing all the potential to work out PTSD issues in-world, and take that knowledge and lived experience into RL. Then I met other residents who were doing the same thing with their trauma, and we just banded together and, well, started growing.

"I have 15 responses now. I need at least 20 participants. Sounds small, but this is Qualitative (QUAL) research project, where the participants provide rich, robust information about their experience inworld in light of their PTSD. I will collect all the Questionnaire answers - which are meant to be easy, engaging, creative, fun - and 'code' the responses to detect patterns of meaning.

"The responses HAVE been rich and robust as well! There have been responses that have surprised me, but they will be included certainly as areas for further future research. For example, sometimes in-world, personal relationships can be as heartbreaking or upsetting as any real-life relationship. That begs a question as to whether SL might be a triggering or exacerbating influence on a person's PTSD."

When I asked how many were in the group, Anya answered, "There are currently about 275 members across two groups (because in the beginning, 2009, I didn't know what I was doing, ha-ha). We have had some terrific events, from 2009-2013 we would have 24-hour events with music (live performers and DJs), lots of art installations, and of course, information. Let me get the YouTube channel link because we had these events filmed in-world. Great videos.




https://www.youtube.com/user/FearlessNation4PTSD

"We've had outstanding support from the music and arts community in SL. Really amazing support. And Linden Labs has been understanding and supportive too, of course. (laughter) Not as financial as I'd like, but understanding and tolerance of us doing something different with the technology in here."

I asked about how much can art heal someone. She answered, "As for the power of art to heal: It can help immensely! Using creativity to express the confusion and anguish of trauma (survivor guilt, anxiety, etc) can sooth the wounded soul. In fact when trauma occurs, memories become divided into verbal and _non-verbal_ memories because the brain hunkers down into 'fight or flight' mode. Using art in-world, such as building, making art, muisc - even how one designs their avatar - are ways to express trauma, verbal and nonverbal. It helps one process the traumatic event, and work on living easy with the trauma memories."

"I am hoping that this research study might show that the engaging and creative activities in-world may prove a legitimate approach to easing PTSD symptoms. But we will wait and see what the data tells us. It is very interesting and exciting to be able to conduct this study. On these sims, I have used research in environmental design, color theory, art to create moods, curiosity,etc. Even the windlight settings are to calm and encourage relaxation and calm. This approach to the sims design has been a work in progress for over 10 years now.

"Unlike other VR sites that use VR for 'exposure therapy' we absolutely do not re-create war zones or trauma events. Exposure therapy was developed for phobias--PTSD is not a phobia. Far from it."

And what were Anya's future plans? "Well, I would love to work for Linden Labs or another VR company," she answered, "and I want to continue to explore the use of VR for trauma reconciliation. I will certainly continue working to help all people with PTSD learn to live in peace with their trauma. ... for anyone who would like to participate, or simply view the questions for the study and think it over, contact me via my Walden University email: colleen.crary@waldenu.edu.

"By the way: Here is quick, simple PTSD education slide show on my website so you have more background on PTSD. http://www.colleencrary.com/ptsd-support/ "

To check out the location, head to
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fearless%20Nation/73/154/30

Bixyl Shuftan

The Blind Users Support Group

By Bixyl Shuftan

Most people depend on their eyesight so much, life without it can't be imagined. Indeed for most of human history, those who lost their vision were dependent on others. Today, modern technology allows the blind to live independently, and many surprise the rest of us with how well they can adapt and live surprisingly normal lives. This includes using computers and going about Second Life. A few years ago, the Newser interviewed DJ Keao, whom in real life was completely blind but still able to get about the virtual world. As surprising as her situation sounds, it is not unique.

Longtime readers may be familiar with Mermaid Celene (CeleneHighwater Resident), whom was with the Newser team a few years ago. Among the things she wrote about was the Radegast third-party viewer which turned out to be an invaluable tool for the visually impaired. Since then, she has founded a group for them in the virtual world, the Blind Users Support Group.

Welcome to Blind Users Support. This group is for sighted and blind SL users alike who want to work on in world accessibility projects. This group also provides technical support to those using the Radegast viewer or other low vision or blind friendly viewers.

Recently, I met up with her and interviewed Mermaid. Our interview started off on an amusing note as she arrived at the Newser with a fishing pole in her hand, though quickly removed it, musing, "I just took off my fishing pole. I have been told it is a hazard when not in use. I am sure I have hooked at least one person with it."

Asking about how she first found out about Second Life, Mermaid answered, "I have always been a creative person and I always had a desire to play games that involved life simulation, town building, management, things of that nature. The problem is that none of that is accessible. So one evening I had just discovered another inaccessible game and started to cry. My real-life husband asked if he could check in to something and he came in-world. He found his way to Virtual Ability and he was informed that there was a new text-based viewer called Radegast. I tried it and studied it for two years before starting to train others.

"Back then there was no user guide, so it was purely trial and error. Virtual Ability was instrumental and getting me on my feet in Second Life. I wanted to help other blind users discover SL because it is so different than anything else available to us. And it is so much more accessible than people think. With a little time and effort it is doable."

I then asked when the group came about. "It is about a year old," she answered, "Virtual Ability suggested that we start a group for blind users and it grew in to a group not just for them, but for people who wanted to work on in-world accessibility projects. I have been shocked by the outpouring of support from the Second Life business community. We have over a hundred members and growing." There was no group for blind users beforehand, "We were all just in Virtual Ability. Now we are a secondary group to them. But Virtual Ability is still home, for those of us who have disabilities anyway."

She spoke more about her supporters, "Seeing the support of stores like Allura has been incredible. Kenzie is fantastic and has been so supportive of our cause. We think a lot of her. Others too have been great. We have several clubs who are members as well. ... Foxy's, Always Amazing, Fishermen's Warf Beach Club ... There is no way I am going to be able to get all of these." She would later mention three others, Codfathers, the I Love 80s Club, The Maldives, and one with a store, "Simply Shelby is another great one that has a very accessible store for the blind user."

 "A number of residents would be surprised to encounter blind residents," I reminded Mermaid, "What do the various members of the group do here in Second Life?" She told me, "People are surprised. They are also very friendly and do their best to accomidate us for the most part. Different users do different things. One owns his own sim and I believe he runs his own club. Others DJ, role play and shop. ... They are very active in various communities in-world. I don't see some of them often any more. They have left the nest. (laughter)

As Radegast was a few years old, I asked her if there was another viewer in development that would be as helpful or moreso to blind users. Mermaid answered, "Yes. It is being developed by Cinder Roxley. I would interview her about it for further info, honestly. I don't know a whole lot. She is doing a great job and she is developing it alone so it is difficult. She is maintaining Radegast while she works on it. So we are always looking for C++ programmers willing to donate their time to helping her. Radegast is our only avenue for using Second Life. So if it were not here and updated we would be shut out of SL."

Mermaid had messaged the Virtual Ability and Blind Users Support group chats about anyone else whom I might want to talk to, and told me, "Gentle just suggested that you might want to talk to Nilesh. He is a brand-new user who is exploring Second Life for the first time this week. He might have a unique perspective. ... He is a quick study. They learn so much faster than I did. It took me a year to learn to do some of the things he is doing. Of course, we were learning as we went. It was one of those things where you just had to experiment to see what did what."

Meeting up with him took a little effort, and the two of us were soon on the Virtual Ability sim with NileshMistry Resident. He had been on Second Life for only a few days. There were some introductions, then I asked him how was Second Life going for him. "Not bad," Nilesh answered, "I am enjoying it. Second Life has a lot to offer. A bit of a learning curve as a blind screen reader user, things work very differently. But I'm getting my head around things." And what were some of the more challenging things? "Mainly just trying to not go around looking awkward (laughter), so things like knowing where to face, the socially excepted distance you should keep between people, not walking into things or tripping over people, things like that." Mermaid commented musingly "still stumbles over people even after eight years (and) has impaled at least one with my fishing rod. He is wanting to learn to fish so I am thinking I won't be the only one!" That got Nilesh chuckling.

The newcomer went on, "Walking into a new place is difficult obviously its hard to no how far or close you are from people, or if you have your back to them." Mermaid stated, "You won't run in to anyone in SL unless you teleport in on top of someone or sit on them." "Over all though, its great, been getting involved with a lot of events, and finding new places."

I brought up to them that neither had profile pictures. Mermaid responded, "You can put pictures in place but I honestly haven't experimented with it. When you are blind sometimes that slips your mind. Or at least it does for me. Haha." Mermaid tried to get hers in place, but it didn't work and decided to get a friend in real life to take care of it later. Nilesh's luck was not better, "I'll either try again later, or get a friend to do it."

It was about this time we had to go our separate ways. Niles would say about the virtual world, "In general though, Second Life is great and a lot more than I thought is accessible to blind people, and it looks like its just going to be getting better. The client we use is brilliant, Radegast." Mermaid would say, "It is pretty amazing how far we've come in a year. Thank you guys for doing a story on us. Hopefully it promotes us further. The group is open to anyone who is interested in in-world accessibility."

For any questions about the Blind Users Support Group, contact Mermaid Celene (CeleneHighwater Resident).

Bixyl Shuftan

Spanish with Eugenia

By Bixyl Shuftan

While at the Second Life Birthday, I ran into one lady at her exhibit: Eugenia Calderon. She was the teacher of a class with the name "Spanish With Eigenia," which consisted of several towers. "This is about my educational project," she told me, "I teach Spanish for foreigners." She explained she also teaches in real life.

"My exhibit is a copy of the Satelite Towers in the Mexico City," she told of her build, "(the) towers were built in 1958. It's a monument of the modern architecture in Mexico at that time." A notecard included the following information:

The Satélite Towers are a sculptural set of five triangular prisms of different colors and sizes, arranged in an esplanade located to the north of Mexico City, in Ciudad Satélite, on the main avenue Anillo Periférico on its northern stretch. They are the work of the sculptor Mathias Goeritz and the architect Luis Barragán -winner of the Pritzker Prize-, with the collaboration of the painter "Chucho" Reyes Ferreira. Originally designed as a large fountain at the entrance to the nascent city, the towers have become a distinctive symbol of the area known as Satélite, located in the municipality of Naucalpan de Juárez, in the State of Mexico.

The planning of the towers, one of the first large urban sculptures in Mexico, began in 1957. They were inaugurated on March 1958. The set is considered a pioneer of the Mexican modernist style of the fifties.

The Satélite Towers were declared like artistic patrimony of Mexico in 2012, by the government of the then president Felipe Calderón.

More about the Satelite Towers, or Torres de Satélite, can be read on Wikipedia: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torres_de_Sat%C3%A9lite

Eugenia told me her class has been in Second Life for about eight years, "I have classes from the introductory course to advanced level, and also from basic conversation to advanced." When I asked how long the classes take, she explained, "For introduction, the course is for seven classes. Basic is for 40 classes. Intermediate 20 and advanced 20." She stated she had more lessons for those advanced students who wanted them, "I have an advanced group who has taken more or less 40 classes."

She did say she can handle only so many students at one time, "Well, just four is the limit for one class, I mean,  more, is not good to the class." She would say two or three is what she often has taking her introduction course.

While classes aren't always exciting, Eugenia told me there have been a number of interesting moments, "Well, something funny in the classes are the pronunciation of specific words, haha. I mean, some student´s pronunciation could sound sound like bad words in Spanish, or rude words, or slang. ... The idiomatic phrases are also hard to describe and understand. If we try to translate that, phrases are weird."

"And something interesting is the cultural differences," she went on, "For example, we in Mexico celebrate the Day of the Dead, and for some students that is weird an scary." And some in North America might confuse it with Halloween. But the Day of the Dead isn't just for fun, it's also a day to remember departed friends and family.

"There are few Latin residents in Second Life," she commented, "and most of us have to know English to communicate with other residents in SL. But, that is good to us, we can practice our English. ha ha! ... About the classes, I´m here in SL because this world is a good tool to teach. I mean, for language classes immersion is very important and SL give that immersion. We have the avatars, the different worlds, places to visit and play role play. We have animations and gestures and I use all of them.  And I can create my own scenarios also."

We eventually parted ways as she had others asking her questions about the group, and there was more of the SLB to explore. Those interested in the class can message Eugenia Calderon for more.

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL: MamaP's "Poo Chat"

By Bixyl Shuftan

One of the fun things about the Relay for Life Volunteers group is the chatter. It's fun, lighthearted, and sometimes you get comedy gold. Stingray Raymaker's been the subject of it twice with his "pink pantyhose challenge" in 2011, and his "pinky dinky" avatar challenge in 2015. But recently, MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum), found herself the center of a storm of chuckles thanks to a typo.

*  *  *  *  *

[18:33] Selene (selene Jashan): Group Notice Sent by: selene Jashan
5 Days of Relay
Kudos to Head Hunters for such a successful Jail & Bid today at 5 Days of Relay .   For this Jail and bid they raised 164250 total tonight!!   Right now just the Rally has raised 509538.   This Community is totally committed to kicking cancers ass!!!

WTG MC Community!!!
[18:34] V I X X Y (Vixxy Shackleton): Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooot
[18:34] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): Way to gooopooo, That is amazing!!
[18:34] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): gooopooo?????
[18:34] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): HAHAHAH
[18:34] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): GOOOOOOOOO
[18:34] Dianna Wycliffe: LMAO Mama!!
[18:34] Selene (selene Jashan): LOL
[18:35] Dianna Wycliffe: I love your typo's
[18:35] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): as Vixxy knows, I am old HAHAHAH
[18:35] Selene (selene Jashan): and for those that dont know Mama is one of those drivers that has rage issues LOL
[18:35] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): I do!
[18:35] V I X X Y (Vixxy Shackleton): HAHAHAHA Mama
[18:35] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): guilty!
[18:35] Trager Alter: welcome to my world - lol
[18:35] Aryon Dagger: OMG!!! Mama!!!
[18:36] Random Darrow (Random Padar): LOL Trager
[18:36] Nikki Mathieson: hahahahaha  I get back just in time to read mama's HILARIOUS typo
[18:36] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): too funny!
[18:37] Trader Whiplash-Ballinger (Trader1 Whiplash): wahts wrogn wiht mamas typign?
[18:37] Bixyl Shuftan chuckles
[18:37] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): [18:34] MamaP Alter: Way to gooopooo, That is amazing!!
[18:37] Trader Whiplash-Ballinger (Trader1 Whiplash): and nikki JUST Got back after it?
[18:37] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): go poo????
[18:38] Nikki Mathieson: perfect timing...  I mean...
[18:38] Melina Firehawk: Sounds like someone had a brown out
[18:38] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): MamaP Beacon Teaches Typing
[18:38] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): focus on the amazing part, over 150,000L raised at a Jail and Bid today, at Relay Goes MC, lots of people in jail!
[18:38] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): ok.. who gave Mama xlax
[18:38] Melina Firehawk: CODE BROWN!!!
[18:38] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): OMG Lizzy!
[18:38] Selene (selene Jashan): <-----gets a="" big="" br="" ol="" out="" pen="" red="">[18:38] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): LMAO Selene!
[18:38] Trager Alter: props to our 5 day lead , selene, and her team for unifying the MC community - they are closing in on $6,000 as a community and still 3 more days to go
[18:38] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): well  narcan won't fix that
[18:39] Melina Firehawk: Let's hope that was a Baby Ruth
[18:39] Trader Whiplash-Ballinger (Trader1 Whiplash): damn too bad we dont have you on at midnight this year
[18:39] Aryon Dagger shuffles off
[18:39] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): it is amazing hoe we all love a good poo joke
[18:39] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): I bet you Mama's face is brighter than tomato red
[18:39] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): Hey Aryon
[18:39] Selene (selene Jashan): "how" LOL
[18:39] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): It is amazing what?
[18:39] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): OMG now I did hoe for how HAHAHAHAH
[18:39] Nikki Mathieson: who you callin a hoe
[18:40] Nikki Mathieson: you might need to rest
[18:40] Melina Firehawk: I used to work at an outdoor pool.  We had other ways of saying poop in the pool!
[18:40] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): I am going to stop typing, LOL
[18:40] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): Yep. Confirmed: MamaP Beacon Teaches Typing will be released this summer
[18:40] Selene (selene Jashan): waves the red pen and grins LOL
[18:40] Nikki Mathieson: LMAO
[18:40] Bixyl Shuftan: garden equipment now? :-)
[18:40] Random Darrow (Random Padar): Melina lol
[18:40] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): That should be an even bigger hit than Beavis Macon Teaches Typing
[18:40] Melina Firehawk: I kid you not, Random!  My boss learned it at a convention for pool managers
[18:40] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): I ain't scared of no PoPo. Call the PoPo hoe. CALL THE POPO HOE!
[18:40] Selene (selene Jashan): Ok Nikki here ya go,  you get the honor next typo LOL
[18:40] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): madonna HAHAH
[18:41] Melina Firehawk: We should probably be careful or she'll give us the royal flush :-P
[18:41] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): ok Nikki you need to take control here
[18:41] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): change the subject HAHAH
[18:41] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): hugs mama
[18:41] Nikki Mathieson: hahaha I think you're doing GREAT
[18:41] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): HUGS!
[18:41] Aryon Dagger: Well on the same theme ... Trump is in England
[18:41] OldeSoul Eldemar (OldeSoul Resident): and stop the entertainment?
[18:41] Melina Firehawk: Don't you just love toilet humor?
[18:42] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): so what about those sims!!
[18:42] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): have you ever read the tweets the Scotish made about Trump
[18:42] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): oh my god
[18:42] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): are they looking amazing or what??
[18:42] OldeSoul Eldemar (OldeSoul Resident): In the shire here is no p in the ool
[18:42] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena) sees the toilet talk, starts polishing up her gasmask
[18:42] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): I think discussing Mama's typing skills is a safer topic.. BARELY.
[18:43] MamaP Alter (MamaP Beerbaum): LOL
[18:43] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): well  youd thin as lon as we been here
[18:43] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): we shoud know typonese
[18:43] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): Yes, but, the two that Mama graced us with in the last few minutes are just priceless
[18:44] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): lol true  true
[18:45] Kitty Gumbo (Prettykitty Gumbo): Mama is priceless
[18:45] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): Yes she is. Even more priceless than her typos
[18:45] Melina Firehawk: Gotta love it when something happens and the chat runs rampant with puns
[18:45] Melina Firehawk: The longest I've seen it happen is actually about 2 hours
[18:46] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident) sets a tray of tortilla chips and guacamole  and avocado verde dips
[18:46] Kitty Gumbo (Prettykitty Gumbo): Holy Cow.. the MC 5 Day Jail and Bail just raised 162, 149
[18:46] Kitty Gumbo (Prettykitty Gumbo): woooooooooo
[18:46] Madonna Daehlie (Madonna Milena): Yay
[18:48] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): question
[18:48] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): why do mice hate water?
[18:50] OldeSoul Eldemar (OldeSoul Resident): warning - those typos are contagious
[18:55] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): lizzy - why do mice hate water??
[18:56] Xyza Armistice: they cant swim ?
[18:56] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): maybe she's asking b/c she doesn't know??!
[18:56] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): poor little mices
[18:56] Xyza Armistice: lol
[18:56] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): cat fish
[18:57] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): sorry  i got destracted
[18:57] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): cat fish hate water?   or hate mice?
[18:57] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): it's Catfish... mice hate water because of catfish
[18:57] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): okk
[18:58] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): i know
[18:58] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): it wson an exterminator's commercial here
[18:58] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): (I don't get it)
[18:58] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): *was on
[18:58] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): that's worse than a dad joke
[18:59] Eclair (Eclair Martinek): hahahahahhaahhaha
[18:59] Bixyl Shuftan: ha ha
[18:59] Xyza Armistice: rofl
[19:00] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): and trust me
[19:00] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): my dad can tell some groaners
[19:00] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): lol
[19:00] Kitty Gumbo (Prettykitty Gumbo): LOL
[19:00] Kitty Gumbo (Prettykitty Gumbo): I can never remember the joke.
[19:00] Kitty Gumbo (Prettykitty Gumbo): I can remember the punchline.
[19:00] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): I remember seeing a joke Larry Dixon tweeted
[19:01] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): and the first thing I thought was... omg my dad would tell that joke....
[19:01] Melina Firehawk: I still have some of the jokes my dad shared with me
[19:02] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): So I tweeted back that... and he said he's been telling 'dad jokes' since he was 10 and that he has a set of values and refuses to rise above them
[19:03] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): I think some men just love telling groners
[19:06] Bixyl Shuftan: Well, once men's wives have kids, they have to watch it with the dirty jokes. But there's always groaners.
[19:06] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): yup
[19:08] ? LIL LIZZY-ROO KRADITZIO ? (KumaguroBunnyBear Resident): when my step mom's friend and her husband would go on road trips with us, my dad and him would be in the front seat  acting out  Monty Python and Strange Brew.

*  *  *  *  *

After that, things finally began to settle down, more or less. There would be more wisecracks over the rest of the Relay season. But the "Poo Chat" stood out as one of the longer lasting chuckles this year.

Bixyl Shuftan

Sebastien Bouevier and Survivors of Suicide

By Deaflegacy

"Survivors of Suicide" is the largest group in Second Life for people dealing with depression or people who know someone who is. It is headed by Sebastien Bouevier. Recently, he and I met at their new location that was opened a week ago.  I asked him if we could stop by the beach.  We did. The beach area was well done, resembling one in real life. “That's what I was trying to achieve,” said Sebastien, “I wanted somewhere tranquil and serene for people to come and relax.”

We went to a lookout and sat down. I asked Sebastien if his group was particularly important this time of year.  “Yes," he replied, "the holidays is typically the busiest time of year for us at SOS, as a lot of people don't have much in terms of family and friends in real-life, as well as it being a stressful time of year for literally everyone.”

According to Sebastien, he didn't join SOS until just over six years ago. It had already been running for almost four years by then.  Krissy Sinclair, the original founder, started it after being a member of a similar group in real life, and realizing that there was a need for it here on Second Life.

I asked Sebastien how many members are there in the SOS. He said, “As of today we have close to 900 members.” said Sebastien, “Yes, we got over 100 new members during the Christmas Fair.” Their Christmas Fair was a month-long event to celebrate their tenth anniversary as well as gain awareness and raise money for the group.

My next question was, “Would you agree that SOS is attracting more and more members in the time of need because they are there to help people in need?”  Sebastien's response was, “Yes, I do agree with that. Survivors of Suicide is here for everyone and we are open 24/7. We have a team of mentors who are able to talk with people one on one, and when there aren't any mentors available, our group chat is active and very friendly. It is a sort of community of people all helping and supporting each other.”

The next question is if the SOS would continue on much longer. “Oh yes," said Sebastien, "we are the longest running group of this kind in Second Life. We have seen many other groups come and go, but none have stood the test of time. Judging by the immense support from the SL community at large during our event, we will continue to stay open, and continue to grow.”

I asked if anyone can come in the chat at any time to seek help. “Yes," replied Sebastien, "anyone is welcome to join the group chat at any time to ask for help. A group invite will be sent to everyone who lands at the SOS parcel.”

My next question for Sebastien was when the best time to ask for help would be. “Hmmm, it really depends," said Sebastien, "we have members and mentors from the US west coast, and even Hawaii, to Australia and New Zealand.”  “Lets put it this way, I've never been online and not have had at least a dozen of members online at the same time.”

The next question was, “Is there such a thing as exchanging emails with other members or/and mentors so they can continue to receive the help they need when they are not on Second Life?”  Sebastien's response was, “No, but that segues nicely into something I wanted to share with you and your readers," said Sebastien, "We have started embracing social media. We are now on FaceBook, Flickr, and we have our own Discord server. Are you familiar with Discord? ...  It is called Survivors of Suicide. We have a discord button in the entrance hall of the main SOS building long with a button for our website, FaceBook page, and Flickr.”

“I'm excited that we are now able to reach out to our members even when they aren't in Second Life,” Sebastien said, “It was really nice to see all the people that came to visit us during the event, we have over 3000 people come through, and I spoke with over one hundred of them, and everyone had stories of either themselves or people they knew who has gone through very difficult times.  We are going strong into the future, with a new club house, more meetings and activities than before, and that we are here to stay.”

As the interview came to a close, Sebastien said, “My main goal for 2019 is to grow the membership of SOS, I realized just how many people who needs us, or could benefit from us, but don't know we exist. So that is the main objective, and any publicity we can get is fantastic!”

The interview came to a close and I have a good feeling about the future of Survivors of Suicide.  As Sebastien said, they are here to stay. As a member of SOS, I look forward to many days with the group.  SOS is an excellent group, and they are helping people out in need.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Legenda/47/56/24

Deaflegacy

Survivors of Suicide

By Bixyl Shuftan

Suicide is a major cause of death, with close to a million cases worldwide and over forty thousand in America every year, and it is believed to be underreported. It has been on the increase in places, up 24% in the past 15 years in America. While it has been on the decrease in Russia recently, it is still very high at 15.6 cases per 100,000 people and has a teen rate three times the world average. Fortunately, there are numerous organization and groups offering help. In Second Life, there is one group created to help people or friends of people whom had attempted it, those or friends of those at risk, or friends and family of those who succeeded and need help coming to terms: Survivors of Suicide. As time went on, the group has gone on to help people with depression in general, though suicide prevention remains a focus.

I was recently invited by one of the staff of Survivors of Suicide, Sebastien Bouevier, to drop by their location at the Schoomere sim and hear him tell about the group. Sebastien described the purpose of the group as, "to spread awareness and help prevent suicide, but we also serve as a peer support group, helping our members though the good and the bad times." When I asked who founded the group and when, he answered, "Krissy Sinclair, our founder, started the group over six years ago. I've been running the group for two years now." When I asked what inspired Krissy to start the group, he answered, "Im not 100% sure, but at that time there wasn't any active support groups for mental health in Second Life. ... I've only been here four years, so I can't say how the group was before I joined, but it has been a very helpful tool to stay well."

He then explained how he got into the group, "What inspires me to keep the group running is the fact that the group was so helpful for me after my suicide attempt four years ago. ... I nearly succeeded. I was sectioned under the Mental Health Act (UK), and spent six weeks in a psychiatric hospital. It was a turning point in my life, as it gave my illness a name. Up until then, I didn't realize how ill I was. When I came out of hospital, it was difficult to get the help I needed to readjust to a normal life, which is when I found Survivors of Suicide where I could get guidance from others who have experienced similar things." He had found out about SoS, as it's sometimes called, by doing a search for mental health groups, "and it was one of the top three results."

When asked about the progress of his recovery, his answer was, "In one word, slow. (laughter) Joking aside, it was very tough to come to terms with having bipolar. It wasn't what I had hoped for me, but that is part of life. We cant decide what cards we are dealt. It took me a couple of years to come to terms, and even longer to fully accept my diagnosis. Nowadays I embrace it, and I spend a lot of my time helping others who are going through similar experiences in their lives."

I asked how many were in the group. Sebastien told me, "743 members at the moment (smile). We are the largest active mental health / peer support group in Second Life. Of course some of our members are more actively participating than others. We think it is so important for the group to be open to everyone. We do get a lot of people come through during the holidays. We have mentor boards on the wall by the staircase where anyone can click on our mentors boards to speak to someone one on one." I asked if the group included people other than those affected by suicide. He told me, "Yes, we are open for anyone. Some of our members are not even suffering from mental health issues, but are carers for friends and relatives that do."

How did Sebastien go from a regular member to one of the staff? His answer was, "I think it was a natural progression. As I got better, I started needing less and less help, and simultaneously having more and more advice to give.  I started here as a mentor, helping members through difficult times and sharing my own experiences. Then when Krissy needed a Director of Mentors, I took on that role. I have had managerial experience in real life, so I guess that helped in her decision to appoint me. Then as she had to withdraw even more from Second Life, she made me a co-founder, and I've been doing that for the best part of a year now. I think another important part was that I am very committed to staying well and healthy, and I try to help others do the same. My favorite saying is 'When the sun shines through again, it is time to patch the roof for rain.' It is kind of my motto, really. Knowing that we have a chronic illness, and taking steps to prevent and minimize relapses."

How would he say the group has been doing this time? "It has been pretty steady," Sebastien answered, "Participation in group meetings have increased over the last six months. The average is between four and ten people at a time, which is a really good group size really. Of course we are slightly busier now during the holidays which sadly is a peak time for depression and suicide. I think it reminds people of how lonely they are. So we are here to make sure nobody feels alone." I asked how much busier they are during the Christmas holiday. He answered, "At least thirty percent busier. Maybe fifty percent."

So what would Sebastien recommend to someone who suspects a friend of theirs has depression, and at what point should there be cause for concern? He admitted, "That's a tricky question because everyone are so different. But I'd say its time to start worrying when someone changes drastically from their usual selves, especially if the person is talking a lot about death or suicide. I will say though, if someone decides to withdraw, give them space but encourage them to participate in things, even if its just going for a walk together." I asked him what stories besides his stood out. He told me, "There are too many stories to share them all, but we have helped people suffering with anything from bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, disassociative personality disorder to childhood abuse victims, each and every member here has their own unique stories."

With the holidays being a time when more people were coming forward, I asked Sebastian if the group had any special plans. He told me, "One of our mentors is organizing a 24 hour sleepover, though the exact date hasn't been set yet. Other than that, we will continue with our weekly group meetings as normal, and have mentors available throughout the day and night for people who need someone to talk to. We have mentors in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia, so there is usually someone online most of the time. And when nobody is on, there will always be someone in the group chat where people can reach out as well." And their plans for next year? "The current plan is to increase our support group meetings to three per week instead of just two, each one focusing on different aspects to mental health and wellness."

I asked Sebastien about other mental health groups. He told me, "I have seen quite a lot of mental health support groups come and go in the over six years we have been open. I don't want to comment on them as they are no longer open."

Sebastien then showed me the upper meeting room, located almost a couple thousand meters high above the sim. It was a somewhat small room with four chairs large enough to seat more than one person, a bookshelf that looked like it came out of a modern art painting, and a window showing a view of a major city from above, as if in a skyscraper. He told me, "When people click my mentor board I like to bring them here to talk. It is a private and calm space where nobody will disturb us. I have even held an intervention here with one of our members and their friends. Suicide is a serious matter, and we take it very seriously here. I do have to say, that we are NOT mental health professionals, and we don't offer counseling. We are purely a peer support group here to help and support one another through difficult times. Even if we were trained mental health professionals, it would be highly unethical to practice that here in Second Life."

It was about then the interview was over, and we parted ways.

Currently the Survivors of Suicide meets on Wednesdays at 4pm SLT, and  Mondays at Noon SLT

Schoomere (160/32/24)

Source: Wikipedia

Bixyl Shuftan