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On November 10, 2018, I will be running my first ever marathon, the Anthem Richmond Marathon in Richmond, Virginia (check it out here: https://www.richmondmarathon.com/). I have decided to make this a meaningful endeavor by fundraising for the Durham chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). 

As someone who has had intimate experience with mental illness, both in my personal and professional life, I have become deeply committed to promoting the fact that mental health is just another aspect of health, and to ending the damaging stigma that continues to surround mental illness. It has often been pointed out that few people bring casseroles over when someone falls ill with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. We often encounter the terms "bipolar" and "schizophrenic" used in everyday language in an incorrect and often derogatory sense. As a college professor, I regularly encounter students who struggle with their academic work due to "medical issues," which seems to be code for mental illness. They are uncomfortable to talk openly about their illness, and if they do, they seem afraid that they will be perceived as weak or lazy. Most apologize for their illness. Some report that others do not take them and their struggle seriously. This experience of shame in the face of stigma is shared by people from all walks of life, and all ages. This has to change. People living with mental illness are some of the bravest people you'll ever meet. And you probably know at least one or two in your immediate circles - but they don't talk about it. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is an organization located in the U.S., dedicated to erasing the stigma around mental illness. I have chosen to fundraise for my local chapter of NAMI, in Durham, North Carolina. I am very proud to be contributing to their amazing and important work. Please check out what NAMI does at this link: 

https://naminc.org/directory/4767/nami-durham/ 

Thank you for supporting this very important and often overlooked cause! 

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