Grant Peelle is the Creative Director of Stillmotion Studios, a Portland, Oregon based hive of passionate storytellers in video format. We discuss their new film called “STAND WITH ME,” a documentary about Vivienne, a 9-year-old girl who started a lemonade stand with the goal of freeing 500 children from the grips of slavery. The film grew into a poignant exploration of child slavery and what determined people can do to be part of the solution.
Our bonus guest is Swiyyah, a motivational speaker who, despite a childhood of sexual and physical abuse, always saw herself as normal, although doctors diagnosed her with severe mental illness. She was hospitalized six times within three years, yet she earned a BA degree in Psychology from the University of South FL. Her new book, Don't Call Me Crazy! is now a required reading at St. Petersburg College’s writing and reading classes, and suggested reading in Abnormal and General Psychology classes.