February 11, 2024
Dear Community Members,
We know many of you have been impacted by the tragic event that occurred last evening at The Farm. For many, the focus will be grieving the loss of a life; a life challenged by more than most folks could ever perceive or understand, unless they too have been in such a state of suffering. For others it will be the shock and acute stress of witnessing this loss; the body holding the story of the event, strained to allow yourself to set it free. And for those who live on The Farm, it will be recovering from the complex layers of the many roles they hold; event producers, homeowners, and their personal and emotional connections related to the individual. Our elder team members who have shared community with you for decades sit and mourn the collective impact of this loss as we tend to the calls for help coming in.
This morning, we are assessing our internal resources to determine how our team can support the community. As we make these decisions, we ask for your patience and understanding. We want to ensure we have the most appropriate resources in place to do the work and that we can provide this support at no charge or pay what you can in support of the Modern Path Access Fund. We will announce these resources via internal email to our active clients and on our Instagram, Facebook and FetLife pages.
In the meantime, we would like to share what is available now:
Crisis Access/Lines
Crisis Access Lines are for everyone. You do not have to be suicidal to ask for help. In non-suicidal situations calls are directed to a support person who will speak with you, assess your needs, and link you with resources.
· 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
· Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
· Veterans Crisis Line: Text 838255; call 988 and press 1
· Trevor Project (for LGBTQ youth and young adults): Text START to 678-678; Call 1-866-488-7836
Community Services
We would like to remind anyone reading this that what you experienced was a traumatic event. Resema Menakem, LICSW, author of My Grandmother’s Hands, provides us with the most simplified definition of trauma I have seen in my decades as a therapist: “Trauma can also be the body’s response to anything unfamiliar or anything it doesn’t understand”. It would make sense that anyone on site last night, close to the individual who chose to cross the veil, or even someone with no connection to the events but is a survivor of their own story, would be challenged in the days and weeks to come. For those folks we would like to remind you of these resources:
· SCOPE Crisis Stabilization and Safety AID
· Transsomatics (a breathwork and movement guide for gender diverse people)
· Responding to Collective Trauma
· Sex Positive Mental Health Resources
o Mental Health Resources for Queer Folks of Color
o Finding the Right Therapist for You
o LGBTQ Therapists Directory (GA Specific)
We will be updating our posts in the next 24-48 hours with services that will be specifically provided by Modern Path, both in person and virtually in response to this tragedy.
Collectively we send our care and support for all members of the Georgia BDSM Community.
Nick Marzo
Director, Modern Path