Resources

If Not Us, Then Who? is more than a well-being forum — it’s a call to illuminate what’s long been kept in the shadows. This online gathering, hosted by Hidden Truths Project, invited us to witness the lived experience of epilepsy through the lens of art, empathy, and truth-telling. Musical Medicine is a powerful exploration of music’s influence on the brain, the body, and the heart. Research shows that music can: Shape how our nervous system functions and releases neurotransmitters. Evoke complex emotions that go far beyond “happy” or “sad.” Ease the psychological distress of illness. In rare cases, trigger musicogenic seizures, revealing deep connections between emotion, memory, and the electrical discharges in the brain in people with epilepsy. Music as knowledge. Music as healing. Music as storytelling from the inside out. In this video, musician and advocate Guy W. Stoker guided us through Purple Universe, a genre-spanning album giving voice to the lived experience of epilepsy. Together, we explored isolation, medication side effects, and — in a powerful twist — hear from epilepsy itself.

She was made perfectly imperfect — and that became her greatest strength.

Explore the extraordinary life and legacy of Janet Lee, a Malaysian artist who defied expectations, challenged stigma, and created beauty in the face of adversity. Living with epilepsy, Janet refused to let her diagnosis define her. Instead, she transformed her journey into a beacon of hope for neurodivergent artists, families, and communities around the world. This special screening and conversation will highlight the new documentary film directed by award-winning young filmmaker Sanadtkumar Ganesan, featuring heartfelt reflections from Joyce Moi, Joanne Lee, and remarkable individuals across the globe whose lives have been touched by Janet’s story. Together, we’ll celebrate a tale of acceptance, love, and kindness — and the powerful truth that our imperfections are often the source of our greatest gifts.

Janna Kimel & Ash Jorgenson Discuss the Chronic Pain Project’s Art Exhibition

It’s an art exhibition shining a light on chronic pain and invisible illnesses. Janna Kimel, Executive Director and founder of the Chronic Pain Project, joined us along with featured artist, Ash Jorgenson, to share how the exhibition creates visibility for artists whose work emerges from lived experience with chronic pain—perspectives rarely seen in traditional gallery spaces. Through painting, fiber arts, mixed media, and other visual forms, these artists transform invisible experiences into powerful visual stories.

The exhibition includes works that explore themes of isolation, resilience, the frustration of invisible illness, and unexpected moments of beauty within struggle. Each piece offers viewers a window into experiences that affect millions but remain largely unseen in public discourse. The Chronic Pain Project presents its third major exhibition featuring over 30 artists from Portland, across the United States, and internationally from the UK, Germany, and Switzerland.