In Memoriam

Vermont Mad Pride Day Planning Committee wishes to acknowledge those in our community we’ve lost in the last year.

CELIA BROWN August 11, 1963 – December 11, 2022

Celia Brown was a long-time leader in the consumer/survivor/ex-patient movement. Celia served as President of the Board of MindFreedom International, served as their main representative to the United Nations and collaborated with other disability organizations on the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. For many years, Celia served as the Regional Advocacy Specialist at the NYC Field Office, New York State Office of Mental Health, providing technical assistance and support to psychiatric survivors and their families and facilitating trainings on peer support, wellness, and recovery approaches in community mental health agencies.

LOIS CURTIS July 14, 1967 — November 3, 2022

Lois Curtis was the plaintiff in the landmark Olmstead decision, a U.S. Supreme Court case that affirmed the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, and provided the legal framework to end the use of institutionalization to discriminate.

SHERRY JENKINS-TUCKER

March 25, 1956 — July 11, 2022

Sherry Jenkins-Tucker built the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) into one of the nation’s premier peer-organized, advocacy recovery centers.

JORDAN

Neely

December 18, 1992 — May 1, 2023

Jordan Neely, a Michael Jackson impersonator and psychiatric survivor, was killed by a 24-year old ex-marine, who placed Jordan in a chokehold while they were riding the New York City subway, allegedly because Jordan was disturbing and threatening passengers.

IRVO OTIENO December 17, 1994 — March 6, 2023

Irvo Otieno, a Richmond, Virginia resident and hip-hop artist who recorded under the name “Young Vo,” while working toward starting his own record label, died in police custody after he was held down by seven, sheriff’s deputies and three hospital employees for about 12 minutes at a Virginia psychiatric hospital.

RENE ROSE August 8, 1946 — December 12, 2022

Rene Rose spent three decades working at St. Johnsbury’s community mental health center (Northeast Kingdom Human Services), in the Community Rehabilitation Treatment (CRT) program. She was also a WRAP facilitator and helped found the Peer Cadre program in the Northeast Kingdom.

AMY WALES August 17, 1954 — July 8, 2022

Amy Wales worked for Vermont Psychiatric Survivors as a peer support provider at Second Spring, an intensive recovery residence, for 10 years before her death. Marty Roberts, who considered Amy one of the best friends she ever had, said Amy was “a tireless advocate for people at Second Spring.”

Thomas

CHRISTOPHRE “TOPHRE” WOODS

February 3, 1972 — February 11, 2023

Thomas “Tophre” Woods is a former executive director of Vermont Psychiatric Survivors. Before his tenure at VPS, he served as Executive Director of Owensboro Aids Task Force, now Matthew 25, in Owensboro, Kentucky, his hometown.

SALLY ZINMAN January 9, 1937 — August 25, 2022

Sally Zinman was one of the founders of the consumer/survivor movement, helped lead the transformation of mental health care system in the U.S. to focus on choice, self-determination, inclusion, recovery, and peer support. A recipient of many awards, including the SAMHSA lifetime achievement Voice Award and the MHA Clifford Beers award, Sally established one of the first ever peer run service programs, fought for state and National patients’ rights policy and legislation, led the creation of the first statewide peer organization.