Let's Talk — Erica Felicella

Make Art With Purpose Zine : Let’s TALK issue 3

Let’s Talk is an intermittent zine that gives to writing, art and stories connected to and by diverse people. In a time of increasing tribalism and division, our aim is to provide a place where people are empowered to voice their stories and in sharing these stories to increase knowledge, understanding and empathy across communities and cultures.

Editor and Art Director - Janeil Englestad

Design - Delaney Smith

Let’s Talk issue 3 - Cover Art by Elvin Flamingo

Society Believes

Struggle is Inevitable

I am never going to get better

I lost my youth to a riddled mind

Prescriptions were dispensed into my body

When time was supposed to be full of magic

I was lost on an island of side effects

For years everything was wrong

Doctor after doctor, session after session, medication after medication

I wasn’t getting any better

In the process, I became a master of disguise

In a world that does not understand the true nature of mental health and can be cruel

In my 20s things began to shift

With correct diagnosis the path to healing truly began

Yet, the side-effects of the new drugs rocked my body with reactions and weight gain

Societal views of beauty and what I saw in the mirror rarely aligned

In my late 30s my frame was carrying extra weight with exhaustion

I was living a more balanced life at a cost of the loss of societal beauty

Beauty requires sacrifice and sacrifice is a part of me

Now, in my 40s my weight remains on my frame and continues to grow

I am choosing to focus on my inner beauty

I choose to love me

Accepting that size is a fair trade off for existence

I choose mental wellness