PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
"Franke James is an artist, activist and the author of four books on human rights, climate change, free expression, and ethics. For her, these issues are all connected by the need to speak up and take action. The spark for Freeing Teresa was lit in 2013. Franke and her husband Billiam James helped her younger sister get out of a nursing home and then helped Teresa ask for an apology. Earlier that same year, Franke had published Banned on the Hill, which led to her winning the BC Civil Liberties Award for Excellence in the Arts. Her related poster campaign, ""Do Not Talk About Climate Change,"" appeared in three Canadian cities and Washington, DC. In 2015, Franke was awarded PEN Canada's Ken Filkow Prize for ""tenacity in uncovering an abuse of power and commitment to fostering a national conversation in the face of censorship."" Franke lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband and her sister, Teresa. Billiam James is an activist, artist, designer and award-winning videographer. In 2013, he helped his wife, Franke, get her younger sister, Teresa, out of a nursing home and brought her to live with them. Together, they helped Teresa ask for an apology for the wrongful institutionalization. After two years of campaigning, the Ontario Minister of Health publicly apologized to Teresa. Billiam combines storytelling, visual art, music, and social activism to effect change. Over the past three decades, he has produced creative work addressing the following themes: disability rights, mental health, climate change, and free speech. He lives in Vancouver, BC, with Franke James and sister-in-law Teresa Heartchild. Teresa Heartchild is an artist, self-advocate, and author who has Down syndrome. Teresa has shown remarkable resilience and courage. In 2013, a social worker said she was incapable of deciding where she would live. Teresa was put into a Toronto nursing home. Within days, her father, her sister Franke, and her brother-in-law, Bill, helped her get discharged. Teresa had a new capacity test done that determined she could decide where to live. Two years of campaigning later, BC Civil Liberties wrote to the Ontario government on Teresa's behalf: ""We are gravely concerned that the government, through its actions, appears to condone the forced placement and mistreatment of developmentally disabled adults."" The Ontario Minister of Health responded by publicly apologizing to Teresa. The BC Human Rights Commissioner named Teresa a ""Champion for Change."" In 2023, Teresa is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of her rescue and lives with her sister, Franke, in Vancouver, BC."
"""Gut-wrenching and awe-inspiring. This story will break your heart and then fill it up again."" Catherine McKercher, author of Shut Away ""A gripping story about courage, love, and an unshakeable belief in human potential."" Marty Seldman, Ph.D. author of Survival of the Savvy ""The result is more than a memoir: it's a testimony to how 'tickets to freedom' are gained through fighting and love."" D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review ""A courageous, personal account of fighting the system - and family - to free Teresa from forced care."" Alanna Hendren, Executive Director, Developmental Disabilities Assoc. ""Full of insight, heartbreak and inspiration. This no-holds-barred story is a must-read for anyone who cares about disability rights."" Karla Verschoor, Executive Director, Inclusion BC ""A must-read for anyone who cares about human dignity and equal rights. A truly amazing story."" George Melnyk, Professor Emeritus, Communication, Media and Film, University of Calgary ""Authentic, raw and riveting. It was an emotional rollercoaster-one that will be very real for many disabled people. At its core, it's about hope for a better life and resilience."" Isabel Mavrides-Calderon @Powerfullyissa, Disability Advocate"
