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The Icarus Project - Workshop Proposal
1. Title
Building Radical Communities of Support: Stories and Strategies for Mental Wellness from the Icarus Project

2. Workshop Day
Sunday (in depth)

3. Short Blurb
As anarchists and revolutionaries, how can we work together to create healthy communities beyond the psychiatric mainstream?  While we work to change the insanity of our societies, how can we be there for each other in the almost inevitable times of emotional crisis and mental turmoil?  This organizational workshop will draw upon the experiences, strategies and work of participants, as well as those of members of The Icarus Project, a radical, community-based mental health support network. 

4. One-Liner
The Icarus Project is a radical support network, website community and media project created by and for people struggling with dangerous gifts commonly labeled as "mental illnesses."

5. Long Explanatory Blurb
Last year’s workshop (cofacilitated by Amanda Dorter) was attended by well over 100 participants at the bookfair.  A good number of the folks present had experience with the Icarus Project previously, or were familiar with our ideas.  Some effort and considerable demand was made to organize a Montreal-based group, but neither locals nor the national Icarus staff had the capacity to undertake such an endeavour at that time.  Because we received so much interest in taking “the next steps,” this workshop will address that need by concentrating on strategic planning for doing effective mental health support work within and among communities of resistance.  That said, we will still devote some time to introducing ourselves and our project, and the radical ways in which we approach mental health and wellness.  We will make extensive use of our most recent publication, “Friends Make the Best Medicine: A Guide to Creating Community Mental Health Support Networks,”as well as draw upon the experiences of workshop participants.  As we anticipate large attendance, we will break out into small groups to ensure that everyone has an adequate chance to participate and have their voice heard.  We believe that being well in such an insane world is in-it-of-itself a revolutionary act, and as such, we’d love to use this workshop as an opportunity to empower our fellow radicals to cultivate that skillset and bring it back to their communities.

6. Audio-Visual/Space
We have no audio-visual needs that we’re aware of at this time, and in terms of space, we’ll just need room enough for a bunch of participants to huddle off into breakout groups.

7. Funding
Our attendance is not contingent on funding.

8. Contact
Maryse Mitchell-Brody, 646.705.4415, maryse@riseup.net
Theicarusproject.net