Name: Jack Masamitsu

Social Justice Group: 2023-2024, Gun Violence Epidemic: NYC and USA

Date of Fieldwork: January 19, 2024

Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):Marika Condos

Type of Fieldwork: [69]

What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork?:

On January 19th, my group met with one of our members, Wally’s, mother, Marika Condos. Marika has been a therapist for 25 years and she has worked with many people and organizations. We talked to her about the relationship between gun violence and mental health. One of the major points she made was expressing how the idea that mental illness leads to gun violence is a myth. She was very adamant about debunking this myth and she said that gun violence and mental health are more linked through trauma of mental illness. More than 50% of gun related deaths are suicides and Marika brought this up many times. Another main point she made was about how mental health and wellbeing has been a disaproved of for decades. Not until recently, therapy and selfcare have become more mainstream. Our group gained a lot of valueble information from Marika. We are now more prepared for further feildwork and studying.