We were lucky to catch up with Jihan Gabart and Melissa Duncan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jihan Gabart and Melissa Duncan , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
SoMypolar INC consists of Melissa Duncan and Jihan Gabart. We are a nonprofit organization that services the mental health community. Melissa is diagnosed with more than one mental illness and chooses to live a life more significant than society portrays as possible. Her diagnosis was given over ten years ago, consisting of bipolar 1, OCD, and schizoaffective disorder. Jihan is her caregiver, a role that she was thrown into after witnessing the struggles of her childhood friend. A role unfamiliar for both embarked them on a journey. It catapulted them into a movement to fight stigmas and shed light on the life of the two, showing a great example of when people love others with mental illness and what it can do!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Somypolar INC has hosted many discussion panels on mental health awareness, mental illness, and the vital role of a caregiver to someone with mental illness. We are proof you can thrive no matter the situation! Both Melissa and Jihan are from Miami Gardens, Florida, and represent their humble beginnings with pride. SoMypolar was established in 2019 and is located in Aventura, FL.
Melissa Duncan and Jihan Gabart created Tatu’s Adventures, a children’s book. This story, ‘Don’t you see,’ is based on a true story. One Melissa experienced at five years old and never dared to tell anyone until she met Jihan, her childhood friend, and Interactive Care Advocate, also known as a caregiver. Jihan knows a lot about the hard road many must walk to assist someone with mental illness. We both wanted to share this and many other stories within this series so that someone’s walk can be a little easier.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Jihan’s response-
I’ve always been a resilient person. I went from being a friend to being thrown into a caregiver role and not even noticing…. That was all due to my resilient personality. My dedication to our friendship and not understanding all the different diagnoses at the time was tough, but I pulled through. My resilience brought me to a day where I could see Melissa living a better lifestyle, living without shame and free from those things that held her back in the past. It was hard but worth it. Throughout this journey, I was instrumental in situations and growth in Melissa that wouldn’t show true for years. So why did I keep going? Love, sisterhood, knowing there was a better day ahead for Mel or resilience? I’ve been tested so many times in my life, and I know my resilient personality has gotten me to places I wouldn’t have been able to go if I hadn’t pushed my limitations.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Melissa’s response-
Our organization spreads awareness and hope. When we decided to start SoMypolar, I had to let go of the personal stigma I was carrying fully. When battling a mental illness, the stigma can also live within. That self-talk can get real. I had to say, “Melissa, we must let go of the you’re so weird and crazy.” I can’t help anyone if I still let that stigma affect me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.SoMypolar.org
- Instagram: Instagram.com/SoMypolar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somypolar7
- Twitter: @SoMypolar
- Youtube: SoMypolar
- Other: https://somypolar.org/ols/products/tatus-adventures-dont-you-see