Brianna Barrett had seen too much loss due to cancer even while a college student. Then she was diagnosed herself with cancer herself in her early 20's. She realized how rare it is to see young adults depicted in the media with cancer and how it feels to them and is working to accurately represent them in the arts.

The long-lasting effects of being a survivor (physically, emotionally, financially) are often-overlooked subjects that are rich with the kind of drama perfectly well suited to theater or film. Not only that, but in not telling these stories we are overlooking a large and growing population of young people who share this experience. When we talk about diversity, and bringing more diverse perspectives into the world of arts and entertainment, there is a conversation to be had about how we depict people with chronic illnesses or people who might be differently abled. I’m not talking about the “look how hard some people have it” angle that is inspiring to people who don’t have to deal with the same problems. I’m talking about the stories we can all relate to: our friends who are hilarious and messy and complicated and face uncertainty and insecurity and occasional moments of levity like everyone does.

Brianna will tell us her experiences and how she is working to change how the media and arts portray young cancer patients, even by using comedy to deal with incredibly stressful times.