Nikki is a visionary, a truth teller; and a fierce, fiery advocate for ending the stigma around mental health issues. Her passion comes from her own experiences living with a serious mental illness and being a suicide survivor. She turned her pain into promise, sharing her journey in her musical “GET OUT ALIVE.” She talks with Jeanne about what it will take to change the stigma; why self-care is so important and why it goes way beyond pampering; why the word “should” is so harmful; how we need to be authentic enough to stop covering up our mental health issues; and why fearless authenticity means refusing to perform for love or acceptance.

About Nikki:

She is a performer, writer, and visual artist who has been fusing mental health activism into her performance art since 2016. She has been honored with an Ambassador of the Year Award by NAMI, the largest grassroots mental health organization in the country. With her musical about depression “GET OUT ALIVE,” Nikki made history as the first Black female playwright to be produced by American Music Theatre Project and the first AMTP work to debut at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. The show has its New York debut in October for the NAMT’s 34th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Nikki also adapted the musical to film during the pandemic, leading to invitations from nine film festivals and three awards. Her mental health docuseries “Happy Songs About Unhappy Things” is also currently in production.

Instagram: @NikkiLynette
Twitter: @nikkiLynette
Facebook: Nikki Lynette
Website: nikkilynette.com
TED Talk: Message from a Suicide Survivor