University Communications and Marketing

“Let’s Talk” art exhibit highlights suicide prevention in Miles City 

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

MSU BILLINGS NEWS — WaterWorks Art Museum in Miles City and the Global Health Equity Foundation opened an art exhibit entitled “Messages of Hope” featuring ”Let’s Talk” youth artwork as well as Eastern Montana area artists in May.

Several speakers addressed their experiences with loss due to suicide and work on prevention activities, including Montana State University Billings faculty, staff and students as well as former actors from “Let’s Talk.” A community-based media project for suicide prevention, “Let’s Talk,” began in Miles City in 2012 with youth theatre productions, followed in 2014 with youth productions in Billings.

River rocks painted with messages of hope by students from the “Let’s Talk” after-school club at Custer County District High School were on display. The week-long exhibit closed on May 26 with community members sharing their stories of hope in a series of TedX talks organized by the Holy Rosary Foundation, at the annual Bucking Horse museum brunch.

Featured speakers included Darla Tyler-McSherry, director of MSU Billings Student Health Services and founder of “Ask in Earnest,” a suicide prevention effort geared at farmers and ranchers; MSUB student William Segerstrom, a suicide attempt survivor and former gambling addict; and “Let’s Talk” actress Sarah Mosdal.

The event was captured by ARD German Television as part of the station’s coverage of suicide prevention in Montana, slated to air next month.

The art opening was supported by a grant from the MSU Billings Creative and Research Endeavor committee.

For additional information contact Sarah Keller, Ph.D., co-founder of “Let’s Talk Miles City,” at skeller@msubillings.edu or 406-896-5824. To learn more about MSUB student involvement, contact Emily St. John at emilystjohn1999@yahoo.com.

About “Let’s Talk”:
“Let’s Talk” is a community-based media project for suicide prevention, founded by the Global Health Equity Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization aiming to reduce gaps in health equity worldwide. For more information, see www.ghef.org/us.