By Cathy Hearn and Novia Wong
This month, the NAMI Washtenaw County newsletter team is welcoming a new member and a not-so-new member in a new role. Get to know Cathy Hearn and Novia Wong.
Cathy Hearn, Editor
Hello! I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Editor for the NAMI WC Newsletter. I came to NAMI in 2017 as a Family-to-Family participant. A friend and I attended sessions at the Veterans Hospital in Ann Arbor to learn how to better support those close to us who live with mental illness. As my class drew to a close, I reached out to the NAMI WC team to offer my support as a volunteer. At the time, NAMI staff and board members were investigating ways to reach a wider audience and save time and resources through moving to an online newsletter edition.
My volunteer work since then has revolved around building an online home for the NAMI newsletter and creating our regular email newsletters. You can read more about our shift to today’s online newsletter in this recent article.
I’m so excited to take this next step as editor. Through my involvement over the past few years, I’ve been impressed and humbled by the passion, sincerity, and bravery of our community members and contributors. It’s a privilege to be able to bring their stories and expertise to the wider community. If you’re interested in contributing to the newsletter I encourage and welcome you to submit this form to express your interest. We’ll be in touch!
Novia Wong, Designer
Hi! I am Novia, the new designer for the NAMI WC newsletter. I first started volunteering with NAMI WC in 2018 when I was still a student at the University of Michigan. After graduating from the university, I became a product designer who helps create technology for the general public to find resources in their communities.
My first volunteering event with NAMI WC was Patient Hour at the university hospital. I remember sitting in the room and listening to other NAMI members and volunteers sharing their personal experiences and stories. As the hour passed by, others also began to open up and share their own stories, mixed with tears, laughter, comfort, and much more.
Now, it is an honor to be part of the newsletter team who could bring that experience to a wider audience. And maybe if you are interested, consider checking out the events calendar to learn about ways to be involved!