Over a year ago, I joined three other veterans for a writing workshop held by Miami Dade College. We met for a few months writing with the intention of doing an informal reading at the end. That "informal reading" turned into a spoken word poetry performance about our experiences as people, as service members, and as veterans. That performance then went on to be the first show by the veteran performance poetry group called The Combat Hippies.

Along with DJ Brimstone, director Teo Castellanos, and stage manager Gary Lund, we set out on a journey to spread the message of Post-Traumatic Growth, to bridge the divide between the veteran and civilian populations, and to bring awareness to the 22 Veterans that are taking their lives everyday. That journey has brought us to numerous different venues to share our stories, including, most-recently, the TEDX stage in Coconut Grove, Florida.

This is where we took our 45 minute-long show and condensed it into 15 minutes with the aim of spreading our message even farther. Posted below is the official Ted Talk. Please show your support by checking it out and by sharing it on your own social media outlets. Also, if you'd like to see the full show, we will be performing at the famous Seminole Theatre in Homestead, Florida on May 21, 2016, and tickets are now available at: http://www.seminoletheatre.org/event/165-combat-hippies

Thanks for your support, and please let me know what you think!