Fighting the Stigma of Mental Illness Through Music

"Songs in the Key of Free" is a program in a Pennsylvania prison brings together inmates to play music and write songs that they perform inside, while professional musicians also play the songs in venues outside prison. The program is just a year old and is based on a successful theater program in California that cut recidivism rates and helped decrease prison infractions. The founders of "Songs in the Key of Free" are creating an album of the work, but after that, future funding is unclear.

Several charter school networks have found that a strict and structured approach to instruction, while it may be improving test scores, is not resulting in the anticipated increase in timely college completion rates for its alumni. One network is piloting a new model that aims to develop more adaptable, "independent thinkers" by encouraging "self-directed learning." Can the introduction of online learning tools, immersive career discovery trips, and increased parent involvement into the current charter school environment help students down the road?

Research has found that physical movement, such as dance, can be an affective treatment and rehabilitation for people with Parkinson’s Disease. The Dance Well Initiative brings people with Parkinson’s, as well as community members, together to stage dance performances in gallery spaces as treatment and a creative response to the surrounding art.

Abortion is often stigmatized, but women across the United States are finding that speaking out about their experiences is impacting the conversation in very tangible ways. From peer mentoring to changing the platforms of politicians, the women participating in the national movement is to change the conversation and enact policy change.

Layette is replatforming itself to embrace local culture over a dangerous oil dependency. CREATE, a voter-approved initiative in the city, funds cultural events and festivals to create new economic drivers and to promote the cultural legacy of the region. The fund draws upon money designated from a larger pool of surplus property tax revenue, as well as from philanthropic donations.

Environments designed with soundscapes and visual art help to reduce anxiety and pain. In London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has noted a marked improvement in patient experience, including decreased pain and even a reduction in the time women spent in labor, in the presence of artistic installations. Other hospitals in the UK report similar benefits.

By making listening and communication a priority, employers can improve employee retention. In Ohio, Mansfield Plumbing Products designated an employee liaison whose job is to listen to employees and facilitate communication between workers and management. By implementing clear communication channels, employers can better learn how to address their workers' needs.

Sanbornton Connect is a local information exchange and social network for aging residents who share advice about meeting the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of living out their years independently in their own homes. The network started just before the pandemic, but quickly filled a vacuum left by the community's shutdown. Three dozen residents gather monthly on Zoom to trade tips and hear from experts. The goal is to provide personal connections in a sparsely populated town, and in a way that helps people plan before they're in a crisis as their health declines.

What started as a form of therapy turned into a business venture for this group of moms. The aim was to “empower mothers through art” and now they are selling their pieces for a profit.

Dalit hip-hop musicians are using their art and social media to propel the Dalit rights and anti-caste movements to the forefront of mainstream conversation.