HOLIDAYS CAN BE HARD
ACE Resource Network executive director, Sarah Marikos, recently had a chance to chat with actor and author, LeVar Burton, at our Don’t Judge a Book By Its Number event in Compton. Inspired by his mentor and friend Fred “Mr.” Rogers, LeVar wrote his book The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm as a message to children that even though bad things sometimes happen, the world is full of people who care.
Here are some highlights:
“We never think about, as adults, the impact that experiences in our childhood have on who we become. But these Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are really powerful, and not to be aware of them is not OK.”
“Everyone should know what their ACE score is … I’m a 6. What that means to me is that there are experiences in my past that impact this now moment … I need to be aware of how these adverse experiences in my childhood have impacted the man I’ve become.”
(Knowing your ACEs score is) “a snapshot — an evaluation of where we’ve been to set the table for where we want to go in our lives.”
It’s that time of year again, and I am sure you have noticed how fast the Holiday season is taking over stores. For some, this can trigger the body and create stress or dread….
[Content warning: Suicide.]
In recent years, during the month of Pride, I’ve always been extremely excited about the celebration—the glittery and colorful extravagance all throughout the month of June.
However, this year, I’ve taken a pause to really understand my journey, the one I’ve taken individually and the one the queer community is on at the moment. I feel blessed to live in West Hollywood in Los Angeles, one of America’s queer-friendly meccas, though the sparkle in my heart has dimmed as I feel increasingly more concerned for my community across the country where our safety, protections and rights are all at risk. Unfortunately, none of us are safe.
I’ve lived with bipolar disorder for the last 13 years. Though the initial years were brutal, once I understood my triggers and what it takes to stay well, I’ve been privileged to have stayed healthy for much of the last decade. This included — to my relief — my first pregnancy and post-partum period and serving in high-intensity public health roles through the pandemic, as California’s Acting Surgeon General and previously the office’s first Chief Health Officer.
I love music. Recently, I was listening to a random playlist Spotify generated for me when a song titled “Before I Have A Daughter” by Bre Kennedy started playing. Bre Kennedy sings about building a garden that grows on the same ground where tears have fallen and hearts have also been broken. Her goal is to learn to tend to this garden so that it flourishes on both the good and bad days.
