L to R: Elaine Wynne, Trista Matascastillo, Hector Matascastillo, Carol McCormick, Derek Anders-Turner and Mark Wagler.
On March 20, 2019, SAM member Larry Johnson organized and hosted a World Storytelling Day event “Myths, Legends & Epics of Coming Home from War” at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. It raised funds for the Veteran Resilience Project at www.resiliencemn.org. Larry believes “If I hear your story, it’s harder for me to hate you.” Audience members were profuse in their thanks and said they were impressed by the depth and power of the stories.
Elaine founded the Veteran Resilience Project to provide EMDR to veterans with PTSD. Derek served in Iraq as a Combat Engineer. Carol was the spouse of a veteran with PTSD. Hector served as an Army Ranger in Iraq. Trista is a veteran and early leader of the Veterans Voices Program and the Women Veterans Initiative. The story “Home” that she shared was first told at a Kennedy Center event in Washington, D.C. in 2016. Mark, who lives in Madison, WI, was a co-founder of Northlands Storytelling Network. He was raised Amish-Mennonite and became a conscientious objector. Part of the story he told was about marching in Chicago with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.