It will be presented on Monday 17 June at 5.30 pm in the shared garden of the “Gino Masciullo” Housing Community, in via Laura Battista 12 in Matera, A.Ma.Sa.M. Inclusion and autonomy (Altrimedia Edizioni) edited by the journalist and writer Rossella Montemurro. Speeches are expected from the coordinator of the “Gino Masciullo” Housing Community Luciano Bitondo, from the head of DSM psychiatry Vito Incampo, from the psychologist with educational function Samanta Fusiello, from the president of A.Ma.Sa.M. Lucia D’Antona, the editorial director of Altrimedia Edizioni Gabriella Lanzillotta, the editor of the volume Rossella Montemurro and the president of Cooperativa Progetto Popolare Anna Lucia Contuzzi. During the evening, testimonies from family members and volunteers of the A.Ma.Sa.M. will be provided.
The twenty-seven years of the Materana Association for Mental Health – which, to paraphrase the title, supports people with mental or psychological problems with a view to inclusion and autonomy – are contained in this volume, alternating the testimonies of the children with those of the volunteers and family members.
“The soul of the A.Ma.Sa.M. is still given by the conspicuous presence of volunteers who, together with some family members, provide continuity and guarantee of realization of projects for the entire year. Currently there are many aimed at children only, others for children, family members and volunteers and one, annual, aimed at family members and volunteers so that they can train and operate in the best possible way”, underlines Lucia D’Antona, president pro tempore since 2018.
Mental illnesses are still a cumbersome and annoying stigma today. Talking about illness is never easy, especially when dealing with topics that concern the psyche, conditioned as we are by fears and prejudices. With this publication the A.Ma.Sa.M. intends to send a strong message to overcome preconceptions.
“Many stories, many experiences, a single common thread that unites them all. The sense of bewilderment in the face of a relative suffering from a mental illness, the pilgrimage between various specialists, the diagnosis, the therapy and the realization of the sometimes hostile but not very inclusive way in which society is willing to welcome people with similar problems. It is important to network among family members: realizing that you have a problem that also affects other people, you are able to tackle it from another perspective, probably less dark and, together, you look for solutions.”
Rossella Montemurro, professional journalist from Matera. Graduated in Educational Sciences, she worked for “Il Quotidiano della Basilicata” – dealing with the “News” and “Culture” sectors -, “Il Mattino di Foggia”, “Il Mattino di Puglia and Basilicata”, “Roma” and with the online newspaper IlmioTg. He collaborated with the television station “Antenna Sud”. He currently runs the online newspaper Everything 24 hours a day (www.tuttoh24.info). Collaborate with the communications agency Diotima.
He published for Ediesse Edizioni in 2004 The days of Scanzano (report from the Jury of the Basilicata Literary Prize, 2005); for BMG Editrice in 2010 Carabinieri in Matera. Tradition and modernity at the service of citizens, publication authorized by the General Command of the Carabinieri; for Altrimedia Edizioni in 2019 Kicking and punching on the roof of the world. Biagio Tralli, identikit of a champion; in 2020 again for Altrimedia Edizioni My dive into dreams. Marco D’Aniello, a story of sport and friendship (awarded in September 2022 at the Campidoglio with the “Roma rewards social culture” award); in 2023 Galloping against the wind. Emanuele Lamacchia’s Western Haflinger (Altrimedia Editions).
