I’m sure you’re probably thinking ‘Suicide is a terrible title to give to a blog post.’
In correlation with my project, La Nuit Noire, a ball to raise suicide awareness and prevention, I am going to start incorporating stories of suicide into my regular fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and pr content. I know, it’s a little different, but necessary…
Since publicly announcing La Nuit Noire just a few short weeks ago, I have been absolutely blown away by the number of people who have opened up to me about their stories encountering suicide. Whether attempting suicide themselves, struggling with suicidal thoughts, or losing a loved one to suicide, so many people are affected and yet, it takes something powerful for people to open up about it.
To start the new column off, I’d like to introduce you to singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Stephanie Kong, a soon to be 18 year old student at Pitt.
Behind that sweet smile, Stephanie reveals that she writes songs about poverty, suicide, and other intense issues – all of which are developed from experiences she has personally been through. Growing up, her father was abusive, leading to one of her sisters developing an anxiety disorder in which she would beat up Stephanie as a projection of frustration. Both managing a Chinese restaurant, neither of her parents were around very much. Even when Stephanie had the chance to tell her parents what was going on, they wouldn’t do anything about it since they were constantly working. Then, after work, her dad would turn to alcohol and gambling instead of coming home.
“My parents are hardworking and I acknowledge that despite everything and I’m very grateful for that.” But as a result of the environment at home, Stephanie and her siblings grew up independently. At school, she was picked on for being weird. No relief was offered even when the school intervened since she felt “they didn’t really do anything but fulfill their obligations according to the law. At one point during my junior year of high school, the police/school tried to interrogate me and convince me to turn against my sister for doing those beatings. I refused and I forgave her when they sent us to court because they wanted me to press charges.” During that year, Stephanie had a point where she was suicidal. Without friends to turn to, a classmate ended up talking her out of taking her life via Facebook, which Stephanie is very grateful for.
Instead of turning to drugs and alcohol when life got rough, like her sisters did, Stephanie turned to music. Her goal is to use her experiences to “teach people to be grateful still and not hateful.” She knows she can’t change what has happened in the past, as much as she may want to, but feels “blessed to have been through these experiences because I can relate to others.”
Today, Stephanie has been featured in a number of blogs and other platforms in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas including The Tribune Review, Iheartradio, and B94.5gm. I am so inspired by her story. After all that she has been through, she’s using the past to create a better future for herself and others. To keep up with Stephanie, follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Plus, you can listen to her inspiring songs here!
Photos by A Little Bliss Photography