About 30 people gathered Saturday night for the To Write Love On Her Arms’ UF chapter’s benefit concert.
The organization hosted its annual benefit concert “Living Stories,” filling the Civic Media Center with song, poetry and a sense of support.
“We try to be a community,” said Devin Ross, chapter president and UF health science senior. “We try to be open and accepting and let people know that there are people who care.”
The 22-year-old said that for the past four years, the organization has conducted an annual benefit show to help bring out local talent and unite the community. However, she said the shows serve a larger purpose, which is to help encourage conversation about some of society’s largest taboos: suicide and depression.
“I think we start conversations here, or at least our goal is to start conversations,” Ross said.
Artists included local songwriter, Moose; Gainesville hip-hop duo, False Flag; and California artist, SuNWhoa Love.
“For me, a big thing that helped me was my expression,” SuNWhoa Love said. “Being able to express myself freed me.”
Love, 26, said he dealt with similar issues in the past and that for him, expressing himself through his music and religion helped him.
“Hope comes in the morning, new life comes in the morning,” Love said. “You are loved completely, you are valued completely and somebody will speak to you. Please express yourself.”
[A version of this story ran on page 3 on 3/23/2015 under the headline “Anti-suicide group holds benefit concert"]
Terry Wissel (left), known by his stage name name T. Wissel, performs alongside California-based artist Courtney Linsey, known by his stage name SuNWhoa Love, in the Civic Media Center on Saturday night. The pair performed for To Write Love On Her Arms’ annual benefit “Living Stories,” concert.
