My Name Is Project
It’s been a few years since I first posted the video My Name is Chris on Youtube. I wanted to create a snapshot of my life. I have been silent about my abuse for over 2 decades and this video is my admission that it has affected almost everything about me. I wanted that happy childhood dream. But I finally knew that there was nothing I could do to take my childhood back, to wipe away the abuse. I couldn’t even pretend anymore that the abuse didn’t exist.
So I made My Name is Chris, and I cry just a little every time I watch it. Recently I had the privilege of taking part in a two-part Oprah special on male survivors of child abuse. Oprah wanted an audience of 200 male survivors to show a face to the millions of men who are abused and never talk about it.
Shortly after the filming I received an email from Jarrod Marcum Noftsger. He was among the 200 men. He wanted to let me know that My Name is Chris helped his recovery. In fact, he made is own version of the video, called My Name is Jarrod, as a way of coming to terms with his own horrific abuse.
There are millions of survivors out there who want to tell their stories. Yet, we feel isolated and unable to express the deepest pain in our lives. The My Name Is Project is there to provide a survivor a way to express it.
So our project is simple:
1. Create your own My Name is… video. There are many programs to make nice montages. I made My Name is Chris with One True Media. If you have any production questions feel free to email me at christopher@womenspeakoutnow.com. I’m no video wizard but i’ll do my best to help. I want your video to be as representative of your voice as much as possible.
2. Post your video on Youtube as a “response” to My Name is Chris. Our video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYBkMzQrknk. This way, we stay connected and others can see all of the videos in the project stream.
Click here for a quick tutorial for those who aren’t sure how to add a video in response to ours.
3. Feel free to incorporate what elements you want from My Name is Chris, but your video should have the taste of your personal experience to it. We want to learn about your personal adversity and growth. It can be happy, it can be sad. As long as it is real we want it to be a part of this project.
4. Email Chris along the way with your thoughts, experiences, and questions and to let us know that you have contributed to the “My Name is…” project.
Our goal is to create a community of “My Name is…” videos which tell the collective stories of abuse and trauma in our communities. The short term goal is 50 before the end of 2010. 50 videos. Men and Women. Together. Starting with My Name is Chris and My Name is Jarrod. We need 48 more before January of 2011. We can only do it with your voice.
Sharing your story is the greatest gift you can give to another survivor. When I made My Name is Chris I was only trying to heal from my pain. Imagine the impact our collective montage of stories will have on survivors who need to hear that they are not alone and that their pain matters.
We can only do this with your help.
Chris de Serres
WSO
I will definitely do this.
sarah elise
November 1, 2010 at 10:46 pm
What a cool project I will flag it on my new website project Matrix – and network it widely if your happy for the idea to go viral ?
Bob Balfour
November 2, 2010 at 7:05 pm
You’re awesome. Thank you.
Ophelia de Serres
November 3, 2010 at 7:57 pm
This is great, let me know if we can post some on our site when you get a few participants. This sort of creative expression is such a healing force!
Kathy
Kathy Barbini
November 3, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Please do, Kathy! We encourage people to re-post in an effort to reach as many survivors as possible. Thank you!
Ophelia de Serres
November 3, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Hello,
I came across this blog from a FaceBook group I just recently joined. It has only been about 6 month since I decided to share my story and I can see the change it has made in many people. It makes me feel so alive and worth something when I see that others are using their pain as fuel to ignite them, push them forward and live normal lives. I would love to be a part of your video campaign.
Chris’s video was amazing, yes he suffered but look at what he has done with himself. He refused to let his perpetrators win and I love that.
Flavia <3
Flavia
November 4, 2010 at 6:56 am
This was amazing. I want to participate in this. Time to let the world know who we are and we will stop this
Mike Normoyle
November 4, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Thanks for the courage Chris!!!
Mine is up!
Jarrod Marcum Noftsger
November 5, 2010 at 5:51 pm
That is cool
Bob Balfour
November 5, 2010 at 7:38 pm
[...] keep your personal video submissions coming in. We need to create our video community of survivor stories to inspire all of our [...]
My Name Is Project Update « (Wo)Men Speak Out's Blog
November 9, 2010 at 6:20 pm
[...] men on stage at the Oprah show last week. He and Ophelia have also started a project called the My Name is Project to put a face to survivors of abuse. We’ve all heard the statistics, but seeing a survivor [...]
Today Is About Becoming Free | Jackie Shaw Ministries
November 10, 2010 at 5:07 am
I made the above, and I will be defiantly making another one. Waiting on my book to be published. Then I will have a go.
Well done for coming out. x
henna
November 12, 2010 at 1:37 pm
I will get to work on something. I have been wating to make another video, this is a great motivation. Thank you for your Voice!
Kathy Hotze
November 17, 2010 at 1:56 am
[...] From Tracie says “This is a great project for survivors to participate in.” It’s yet another way to speak out, tell your story, and obliterate the silence” TITLE My Name Is Project [...]
November Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse « Splinteredones's Blog
November 26, 2010 at 9:25 pm
I am glad that From Tracie shared this project with Carnival Against Child Abuse. Thank you for the awareness that men are abused too. As men and women who have been abused unite we can present a solid front to stop further abuse of our children.
Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker
November 28, 2010 at 5:23 am
Wow, Chris — what an amazing video. I am going to work on this.
Marc Fredson
November 29, 2010 at 12:26 am
Hi Chris,
Your work is extraordinary! Yours and Ophelia’s storys are poignant reminders that happiness is possible after coming through such dark beginnings in life.
You are welcome to use any of my 11 or 12 videos that I have up on YouTube. (I think I may have deleted one of them). I couldn’t find the link to post a video link to on your YouTube, but the access link to all of mine is: http://www.youtube.com/user/susa48#p/u
I am currently working on two more videos. Christmas is a dicey time for us to survive, but so far, so good.
All best,
Susa/all
.
Susa
December 2, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Just posted my video. What an experience. Thank you Chris for starting this project. It was rough at times to put it all together, but very freeing to be able to speak out.
Sandra
December 12, 2010 at 9:30 pm
How do you post your video on this site? I am not a very tech savvy kind of girl.
Flavia
December 13, 2010 at 1:19 am
I know what you mean!!! I was kind of surprised when my video posted like I wanted it to. The first step is to get your video uploaded to Youtube. Once you’ve done that there is a box right below the video that says “Embed”. Click on it and another box will come up with a bunch of lines that look like jibberish. Copy the entire bunch of lines and then paste it in the comment box where you make comments on Chris’ page. Make sure you get the complete Embed code or the video won’t work. You won’t know whether it worked or not until you post comment. Good luck!!!
Sandra
December 13, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Thank you! My heart embraces all survivors here, though I don’t know you; I love you. We are joined by our abuse stories and it feels good to a family who understands.
Sherrie
May 26, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Thank you for this ingenious way to share our stories. The old cliche is that a picture is worth a thousand words. Bravo to all the survivors who participate to heal and help heal others.
Lynn Tolson
December 14, 2010 at 1:02 am
Lynn Tolson
December 14, 2010 at 1:03 am
It was very healing to make my video. Thank you Chris and Ophelia for this project. Thank you everyone for courageously sharing your stories.
Nissa
December 14, 2010 at 7:25 am
Emma
December 16, 2010 at 2:09 am
Emma, I am so proud of you on your courage to do this. I am even more proud of our friendship and having you involved with my work on The Guys Project. Thanks for all you do as well as your strength and support!
Gabe
December 16, 2010 at 2:50 am
Hi Emma,
your not alone either I was too sexually abused by my older cousin. but remember your not alone theres so many people out there is like us and always tell someone dont be afraid tell because then something bad might happen. thank you alot for sharing and I’ll share you my story what happen to me.
-Mandy
mandy
November 12, 2011 at 10:18 pm
From Tracie
December 18, 2010 at 10:05 am
[...] It's been a few years since I first posted the video My Name is Chris on Youtube. I wanted to create a snapshot of my life. I have been silent about my abuse for over 2 decades and this video is my admission that it has affected almost everything about me. I wanted that happy childhood dream. But I finally knew that there was nothing I could do to take my childhood back, to wipe away the abuse. I couldn't even pretend anymor … Read More [...]
My Name Is Project (via (Wo)Men Speak Out’s Blog): My Name is Chris « NURTURE NATURE! PROJECT
December 26, 2010 at 8:20 am
Here Is My Video!
Charlotte
January 5, 2011 at 4:15 pm
Thanks and congratulations to all survivors who have posted their stories at this site. I am a survivor who founded Finding Our Voices in Colorado Springs to empower survivors and inform community through healing art activities. I want to share my story soon, but it looks complicated to me because I’m not very computer savvy.
Joyce Aubrey
January 13, 2011 at 12:33 am
I am a sexual abuse survivor. This has definitely moved me. I want to make a video, but I haven’t found that part in which there is more to my story. I am always running. I am still alone. And I shut down for weeks, forget to feed myself, sit in my room paralyzed, and have no sense of hope.
lost
January 17, 2011 at 6:55 pm
As a child I was not abused sexually… yet the mental “rape” and battery was relentless. I find it very hard to speak out which I seemed to have put in a backdrawer of my mind (which exploded in my face not so long ago).
I was raped during mariage for at least 6 months up till twice a week because I disaproved of him battering our children and asked for a divorce. At the end it got so bad the doctor wanted me to press charges but I didn’t… all I wanted to do was letting myself bleed to death. Children do not know and I do not know if I’d want them to… but if I wait too long it will be too late for justice to be done..
These posts are very painfull but they urge me to think things over. Should I, or not…
My warm thoughts go out to all of you…
Krokodil
March 21, 2011 at 7:45 pm
I created a My Name is Toni video. I replyed to your utube video with it.
http://youtu.be/QKQozP-bLd8
Crowns of Hope
November 24, 2011 at 1:10 pm
This is amazing. Thank you all for sharing. I wish I knew how to make videos. Maybe I am just not ready to share my story like that. Yall are all a strength to me. I really don’t know what else to say. Thank you. I hope to one day be where yall are.
Kris Hannah
December 29, 2011 at 4:59 pm