Emporia is joining a fast-growing list of cities across Kansas taking part in a new event designed to increase awareness about suicide.
Words Save Lives is bringing music, poetry, comedy and the arts to the Lyon County Fairgrounds Bowyer Building on Tuesday with the understanding that communication and art can help people thinking about suicide. Here’s organizer Kery Moyer:
Words Save Lives will be from 6-9 pm. There are now nearly 20 Words Save Lives events taking place this year across Kansas.
Moyer works in community mental health at CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness and has also supported events through Beacon for Hope Suicide Prevention — and he admits having had suicidal thoughts. He got involved after a conversation with current Kansas Poet Laureate Huascar Medina, who felt it was important to add another public option for supporting mental wellness and reduce the stigma surrounding suicide.
More information is available online at www.wordssavelives.org.
