Huddle Up With The GM! By Emry Himes

A cartoon of a smiling man dressed as a football coach with a headset and clipboard. The text "HUDDLE UP WITH THE GM!" is centered below him. Surrounding the coach are several encouraging phrases like "I am proud of you!" and "Well done!" A caption at the bottom explains that he is starting a podcast to help others feel good and recognize their "super powers."

Image Descriptions: The first image is a yellow poster featuring a cartoon illustration of a smiling man, referred to as “The GM,” dressed as a football coach with a headset, a “GM” logo on his jacket, and a clipboard showing a play diagram. Above him, various encouraging phrases like “WOW, YOU DID IT!”, “I AM PROUD OF YOU!”, and “I SEE YOU! I HEAR YOU!” are scattered like speech bubbles. The main text at the bottom reads “HUDDLE UP WITH THE GM!” followed by a caption: “THAT’S WHY I WANT TO START A PODCAST TO MAKE OTHERS FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES AND RECOGNIZE THEIR SUPER POWERS!!”

cartoon of a smiling man dressed as a football coach with a headset and clipboard. The text "HUDDLE UP WITH THE GM!" is centered below him. Surrounding the coach are several encouraging phrases describing how PAC Services helps him, including: "Understand my options", "Focus on what I CAN do", "Feel seen, heard and respected."

Image Description: The second image is a green poster featuring a cartoon of a smiling man dressed as a football coach with a headset and clipboard. The text “HUDDLE UP WITH THE GM!” is centered below him. Surrounding the coach are several encouraging phrases describing how PAC Services helps him, including: “Understand my options”, “Focus on what I CAN do”, “Feel seen, heard and respected.” A caption at the bottom explains that with a waiver, he is reaching his goals and starting a podcast to help others recognize their “SUPER POWERS!”

About the Artist

A young man in his twenties with short brown hair. he is wearing a blue casual shirt with a tan hooded drawstring sweater over it. He is leaning on a brick wall with a smile on his face.

Image Description: A young man in his twenties with short brown hair. he is wearing a blue casual shirt with a tan hooded drawstring sweater over it. He is leaning on a brick wall with a smile on his face.

Artist Bio

Emry Cole McHugh Himes is a community leader from Southport, Indiana and the Inspirational Coach for the Franklin College Football Team, where he is known as the heart of the Grizzlies program. He is a Roncalli High School graduate, a participant in Franklin College’s Inspire program, and a longtime volunteer with organizations such as Best Buddies, Hope Gallery, and Special Olympics. Emry is also a Special Olympics athlete and 2025 Backstroke State Gold Medalist who loves music, dancing, sports, and bringing people together. 

I Am Whole By Arturo Contreras Mejia

There is a radial gradient with a golden center that fades into purple with text. The text reads I am whole (bold lettering). I am whole (bolder lettering). I am not deficient (light lettering). I am enough (bold lettering). I am enough for my (bold lettering) community. I am right to trust me (bold lettering). I could only lead me to where I want to go. I am whole (boldest lettering). I am efficient (boldest lettering). I am plentiful (boldest lettering).

Image Description: Arturo is standing on the left of the picture, in front of a telephone pole with his arms crossed. He is wearing a pink hoodie, jeans, and sunglasses. He has a serious bearded face. To the right, is a plentiful cactus plant. Behind a gas station that reads “kinda tropical”.

Arturo’s Story

Being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult is weird. Suddenly so much of your life makes sense, like now I know why I always forget something at home when I’m about to leave. But the other thought that would enter my brain is that I was not enough. I would think this because I would fall short. I always over promise but underdeliver. There was always this nagging voice at the back of my head telling me that what I was doing was wrong, that I was not giving enough, that of course life is going terribly because I thought I knew what was best.

All of those things were untrue. I knew then and I know now that its not true.

To combat this I would face them head on. I tell myself that I am enough, that I am right and that I know where I want to go in life. ADHD is not a hinderence. It is not an unbeatable monster. ADHD is a friend that tells you EVERYTHING. ADHD tells you; what you are stressed about, because you (I) avoid it and get anxious about it; where you can find happiness, because you will be obsessed with it; what you don’t like, it calls attention to the things you like (day dreaming). 

I have ADHD. But it is not who I am. I am whole. I am a person. A person who is enough. A person who adds value. A person who loves ,cries, and thinks. ADHD is a part of me, a part that I have struggled to come to terms with. But, the ADHD is not going to go away and neither am I. 

My ADHD makes me feel empowered. I have the power to think about many things at once, to see details that others skip over, connect with lots of people because of my never ending thirst for knowledge and the dopamine that comes with learning. But aside from my own actions it is my community that supports and empowers me. Like IDJ empowers me to share my experience, allowing me to fill a me-shaped hole in my community. Spaces that allow creatives to work, are empowering because it tell me that someone wants to hear our story, see our point of view. 

What does not make me feel supported are the suspiciously low number of callbacks I receive when I self identify as having a disability. What does not make me feel empowered is the stripping of our Universities majors to “better reflect the job market”. The market does not make me feel supported, because there was a time when mental asylums where the solution the market dictated. 

Investing in people and programs to let people express themselves , no matter how difficult the truth, will always be more supporting than pretending that people with disabilities don’t exist. The difficult truth is that everyone in their life will at some point experience disability. We need to support and empower those of us who are disabled now, so that when we are disabled we can work together and find out. What that looks like is investing in these communities, investing in their voices, and making sure to keep those voices at the decision making tables.

About the Author

Arturo is standing on the left of the picture, in front of a telephone pole with his arms crossed. He is wearing a pink hoodie, jeans, and sunglasses. He has a serious bearded face. To the right, is a plentiful cactus plant. Behind a gas station that reads “kinda tropical”.

Image Description: Arturo is standing on the left of the picture, in front of a telephone pole with his arms crossed. He is wearing a pink hoodie, jeans, and sunglasses. He has a serious bearded face. To the right, is a plentiful cactus plant. Behind a gas station that reads “kinda tropical”.

Arturo Contreras Mejia is a 27-year-old Mexican Man. He is currently a student at IUPUI studying digital marketing. Arturo is an Indianapolis creative. In his free time, Arturo enjoys spending time with his loved ones.

Safety By Mateo Alvarez

This painting features a vibrant, diagonal rainbow background. Scattered across the rainbow are several golden infinity symbols, a white skull with a pink bow, a penguin, and a figure with blue hair. Other icons include headphones with musical notes, a medicine bottle with pills, a syringe, and a black pendant.

Image Description: This painting features a vibrant, diagonal rainbow background. Scattered across the rainbow are several golden infinity symbols, a white skull with a pink bow, a penguin, and a figure with blue hair. Other icons include headphones with musical notes, a medicine bottle with pills, a syringe, and a black pendant.

Mateo’s  art represents the good and safe things that help them feel better, less alone in the world. For example, the monster high character they painted is their favorite representation of autism.

The Images of Depression By Ellie Satre

The pencil sketch depicts a bloodied hand holding a mirror shard reflecting the skull of the beholder.

Image Description: The pencil sketch depicts a bloodied hand holding a mirror shard reflecting the skull of the beholder. In my mind, this is what depression looks like. It is something that on the outside you only look hurt – maybe a little bloodied. However, when you look upon yourself, you feel nothing, a void that feels so close to death. My sketch depicts the morbidness and the pain that clinical depression can cause in a person and that it can be anyone.

Just see me

Just See Me
By Ellie Satre

Sometimes I wish I could just die.


It seems so easy…

…the flick of a switch…
…the push of a button…


If only it were as easy as closing your eyes

wishing it to be.

I don’t really understand it—
practically never, if I’m being truthful.


The voices.
So many voices,
myself but not at all.


The weight,
a monster

pulling

down

my spirit.

Not a comforting weight
like a dog on your lap,


but a deadly weight


that drags,

slowing you down,

whispering

you’re not good enough,

you’d be better off dead.

SHUT UP!

That’s what I tell it,
but it doesn’t listen.


“You’re fine. Just sleep it off.”


That’s what others say,
but they don’t understand.


“I’ve been sad before. What’s the difference?”


I try to explain:
I can’t catch my breath,


all these worries

An image of a concrete poem (also known as a shape poem) designed in the silhouette of a bowl.

(Image description: The outline of the vessel is formed by the phrase “Filling my body to the brim” curving along the bottom and sides. The “steam” rising from the top and the entire center of the cup are filled with the word “Worries” repeated many times in various fonts, sizes, and orientations, creating a cluttered and overwhelming visual effect.)

“If this is how you feel
I don’t know how to help you.
Just suck it up, ig.”


Little do you know
you make the tears heavier
and the weight more painful.


I can’t stop it,
but you keep making it worse.


If I don’t know how to explain it,
just be there for me.
Don’t belittle me.
Don’t think of me as less.


“Oh pobrecito.”


I don’t need your pity.
I have monsters, just like you—
they just speak louder
and weigh more.


My feelings are real.
You might not see it on the outside.
I might hide it with a mask,

but it’s cracking
more and more every day.


It’s not always bad,
but it’s still real.


Just see me for who I am.
I beg of you.

About the Author

Chinese 18 year old girl with short black hair.

Image Description: A young woman with short, dark hair and a slight smile poses outdoors. She is wearing a light blue ribbed tank top with thin black straps, a black choker necklace with a silver snake pendant, and a smartwatch. The background shows a shallow, rippling body of water with a sandy bottom.

Artist Bio: My name is Ellie Satre. I’m currently an 18 year old freshman at Indiana University Indianapolis. I’m currently studying Biology and Forensic Science so that I may go to Med School to become a forensic pathologist. While I don’t have a physical disability, I have struggled with anxiety and depression for years. I have struggled with suicidal ideologies and I used to put up with those that wouldn’t help, listen, or understand. Now, I choose to surround myself with those that are willing to listen and those who are willing to understand and help. I believe that everyone deserves respect and for their voices to be heard. Mental disabilities can be greatly overlooked and put off as something that doesn’t matter as much because it’s “all in the head.” The only thing that does it make the voices louder. Everyone deserves a voice. Everyone deserves care. With my whole heart, I believe this.