I am back from the dead…. Is that inappropriate to say after Easter/Passover was just this week?
Well the truth is, I have been so overwhelmed this semester. I am a senior, after all, but not only did I go from having one job and being in school full time, I started working a second as a bartender (which is what I wanted), and landed an internship the second week of school at a boutique PR firm called BR Public Relations. Got to check a few things off my list this year. 🙂
The internship is definitely a lot of work, but it has pushed me in many ways and taught me a lot. I get to work with the President one on one twice a week, and the responsibilities I am given are those a lot of aspiring PR Executives in college would love to experience. It isn’t easy though. There is a lot of work, especially when you’re pitching a client releasing a film in two weeks… cough cough… check out Revolution by Rob Stewart. Anyway, that is going well. A rollercoaster, but definitely a worthwhile experience.
But I don’t want to talk about school anymore. I wanted to share some news.
Recently (last month actually), I lost an old friend. We went to high school and college together. There were a lot of memories. Rumors spread the cause of the death was suicide, while others claimed it was an accident. The cause of the death does not matter. Nonetheless, it broke my heart when the news finally sunk in and I saw her in an open casket. It’s not something I wish upon anyone, especially when she was so young. The event pushed me to come up with this idea that is meant to be compelling, powerful, informative and inspiring. Last semester I created this mental health package with some students on campus, where we wrote about mental and emotional health, and thought this has to go further than a website with stories (Not to mention it made the Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Conference this month).
I thought to myself, “How can I get through to people? What do I have to do to make people understand that suicide is a serious issue and NEEDS to be spoken about, prevented, and not sugar-coated?!” I was furious, outraged after days of finding out my friend died and couldn’t stop thinking about this. I thought I would write a screenplay and turn it into a film. My friend Steven Anderson and I spoke about it and decided that we would collaborate on this together and actually think Series. I have never written a series before and I never really thought I could. The idea of writing non stop without necessarily knowing the ending, or the complete story before production was challenging and I thought to myself, “Why not? Baby steps right?” I can do this. Shonda Rhimes does it everyday and we all love Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder. She inspires me and this is a project that I am emotionally tied to and am serious about producing. 
This series will cover life and suicide, covering all stereotypes, demographics, and everyday situations. My job is to give the viewer the unexpected and the expected, because a lot in life is predictable. My job is to reveal that suicide is not a just a “white thing,” because plenty of people with different ethnic and racial backgrounds attempt it and some go through with it. This series will be compelling visually and verbally. I would say more, but needless to say I cannot for the obvious reason.
However, I do want your input. If you have a story you would like to share with me because you believe that this is something that really needs to be put out there to make a difference, to lower the statistic rates on the act of suicide, or you just want to express yourself or leave a comment solely, please send me a message. You can comment below or send me a message privately if you want to remain anonymous. I look forward to your thoughts.
Thank you all so much! I cannot wait to update you on this journey I am embarking on.
xoxxo
Aurea
P.S. Rest in Peace Francheska. You’ll forever be in our hearts and our memories.
The Aurea Update 