Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw8NW7bQXJg Starts at: 00:40:58 (jump to 00:40:58)

Tyler Calabrese Opening Remarks & Personal Story

[00:40:58] So, this is the seventh year of us doing this little DIY grassroots art and mental health event. [00:41:07] And every year, you guys are the coal that keeps this little train moving. [00:41:11] So, thank you everybody in the audience and everybody online. [00:41:14] Appreciate you being here supporting us. [00:41:17] So, let me hear it for all the folks who’ve been out to Speak Your Truth before. [00:41:22] Round of applause. [00:41:24] Yeah. [00:41:24] Thank you for coming. [00:41:26] And being repeat customers, that’s like the highest form of compliment. [00:41:30] So, thank you. [00:41:31] Let me hear it for the folks out here for the first time. [00:41:35] All right. [00:41:37] A lot of new faces. [00:41:38] I like it. [00:41:39] So, thanks for giving us a shot and hopefully we turn you into repeat customers. [00:41:45] So, for the newbies, I’m Dr. Tyler Calabrese. [00:41:49] I’m a psychologist and one of the co-founders of this event along with David Atamudia. [00:41:54] And we started. [00:41:56] We started this thing as part of our volunteering with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental [00:42:00] Illness, who we’re raising money for tonight. [00:42:03] And one of NAMI’s mottos is, you are not alone in this fight. [00:42:08] And we love that motto. [00:42:10] I mean, we literally put it on our backs. [00:42:13] And tonight, things might get a little heavy. [00:42:19] You might hear some war stories about those fights. [00:42:23] But this is not a somber occasion. [00:42:26] This is a party. [00:42:28] We’re here celebrating. [00:42:29] All right? [00:42:30] Because if you’re out here tonight, if you’re connecting with people, if you’re learning something, [00:42:34] if you’re getting inspired, if you’re transcending your pain, then that’s beautiful. [00:42:40] It’s a positive thing. [00:42:43] So, having so many cool, creative people share their stories and normalize mental health issues, [00:42:51] that helps stop the stigma. [00:42:53] And then having an audience of people that’s loving. [00:42:56] And empathetic. [00:42:57] And not judgmental. [00:42:58] That helps stop the stigma. [00:43:00] So, thank you. [00:43:02] This is a joyous occasion. [00:43:03] Thank you for being out. [00:43:06] And I have a personal reason to celebrate tonight. [00:43:11] And my little… [00:43:12] All right. [00:43:14] Every time I practice this speech, I get emotional. [00:43:17] So, practice makes perfect. [00:43:18] My little brother, Tim Grady, is out here tonight. [00:43:20] And he’s going to speak his truth. [00:43:24] I won’t get into his… [00:43:26] …business too much. [00:43:27] But his fight was with a particularly deadly foe. [00:43:32] And it was a nightmare for him. [00:43:34] He hated it. [00:43:36] He wasn’t himself. [00:43:38] And it was terrible for all of us because he was drifting away from us before our eyes. [00:43:44] But I didn’t handle it the best. [00:43:47] You know, I’m a psychologist. [00:43:48] I give people advice on this stuff all the time. [00:43:50] And I wasn’t doing that myself. [00:43:52] I was pulling away. [00:43:54] I was beating up on myself. [00:43:56] I was… [00:43:57] Yeah, I wasn’t the best. [00:43:59] But my family, who had a lot more direct collateral damage, his loved ones, I saw them have his back. [00:44:08] And it made me want to step up more. [00:44:12] My therapist, Jeff, if you’re watching tonight, buddy, thank you, man. [00:44:15] You helped me process a lot of shit. [00:44:18] And doing this event, you know, seeing so many people come up that are winning this fight, [00:44:24] it gave me hope. [00:44:26] It gave me hope for my brother. [00:44:27] And seeing all the loved ones, all the advocates, all the allies, that made me want to be stronger as well. [00:44:34] So, lo and behold, you know, my brother is a… [00:44:39] He can be a cocky motherfucker, but he was way too modest about how he did this fight. [00:44:46] And he found his way. [00:44:47] And he subdued that foe. [00:44:49] So, let’s give it up for Tancredi, man. [00:44:54] And… [00:44:56] He knows, man. [00:44:57] I’m overcome with joy sometimes. [00:45:01] So, let’s give it up for Tan. [00:45:03] Let’s give it up for all the other speakers out here tonight that are winning the fight. [00:45:08] Let’s give it up for all you listeners who are loving, giving us empathy and support. [00:45:14] So, let’s speak. [00:45:16] Let’s listen. [00:45:18] Let’s be moved. [00:45:19] And let’s have a great fucking night. [00:45:21] All right? [00:45:23] So, I have my real brothers here. [00:45:25] But I’m going to invite… [00:45:25] I’m going to invite my play brothers, David and Malcolm, who are going to emcee this thing. [00:45:31] So, come on up, boys.