In this episode, I talk with Sylvester Gaskin, who has written for us before at The Committed Project about his anxiety, his supportive partner, and his experience at conferences. We talk about having anxiety as a man of color, how our partners and network make all the difference in providing us the support we need, and what the positive aspects of having anxiety in higher ed can be. Sylvester also talks about why it’s so important that he not only share his story, but that he attach his name to it, as well, so that other young professionals of color can see that there is someone like them, and if he can do it, so can they.
I’m not gonna lie to you here – this one made me tear up a little. So grab your tissues and take a listen to our next episode.
One of the most challenging parts of being a higher education professional with mental illness is conferences. There is nothing like taking us out of our comfort zone and putting us in a foreign situation with strangers to create that conference-fueled anxiety. Sylvester shares his recent experience fighting the anxiety dragon at a conference.
Anxiety sets in
I could feel the panic attack coming before I even got into the van. I was already dreading going to this conference. Knowing that I wasn’t going to be at 100% made me feel even worse. I told my partner that I would rather feign an illness and stay home. She understood, but she encouraged me to have fun and enjoy the experience as best as I could. So I went to work, corralled my students and got in the conference-bound van. Continue reading →
About the Author
Sylvester Gaskin is just a simple brother trying to live with his anxiety.
