What: kNOw More Secrets
When: 8:30 p.m. April 16
Where: L.A. Pittenger Student Center
The truth comes out this Thursday as the kNOw More Secrets project breaks open old diary locks, recovers middle-school poetry and shows off embarrassing childhood artifacts to open up its participants to an audience of support and understanding.
Students and staff can do all of this at 8:30 p.m. in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. kNOw More Secrets is based off of a live presentation, film, television, web and book series called “Mortified,” which lets adults put their hidden, embarrassing moments and stories on display in order to reveal more in-depth stories about their personal lives and to understand they’re not alone in their long-lost shame. Students and staff can do the same at Ball State's event.
kNOw More Secrets came to Ball State as the brainchild of a collaborative graduate student project. Doctoral and masters students in the Counseling Psychology program wanted to find a way to break out of fear of oneself and fear of judgment.
The purpose of the project was to give students the opportunity to design, produce, and actualize something dynamic and meaningful both to the students and the community they serve.
Doctoral student Corie Hess thinks projects such as this are a strong and healthy way to break down barriers people place around themselves and connect with others.
“I think there is a powerful message that all voices matter,” Hess said. “We hope this project will encourage people to fully embrace who they are. Too often people are silenced for fear of discrimination or intolerance that exists within our society.”
Larry Gerstein, George and Francis Ball Distinguished Professor of Psychology Counseling, connected legislation like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act with the kNOw More Secrets project.
“I think in our environment, here in Indiana, folks are really concerned about protecting their human rights and dignity. Projects like this can support the idea that we do care about people,” Gerstein said. “What we’ve seen [from this legislation] is that many people have not been immobilized, but have, in fact, been activated.”
Gerstein is also the director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies and a fellow of the American Psychological Association. He explained how circumstances, even embarrassing or shameful situations, can connect and bridge otherwise unstable gaps between people.
“The bottom line is when you give people who have been voiceless the chance to open up in a safe place, there’s a common power, and it can continue to move forward,” he said.
There’s the old saying, “misery loves company.” Gerstein said research shows that misery actually prefers the likes of other miserable company.
“If everything in my life is rosy, and you’re having a hard time, you won’t want to share that with me,” said Gerstein.
That kind of commonality is what this project and its founders said they hope will link people and make a difference. Hess is excited for this event to push people to move past their fears.
“We want to encourage others to speak out against discrimination and intolerance when they see it,” she said. “We want to spread the message that voices matter. It’s time to let it all hang out.”
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