Pbmo b> Garrett Ganat/WSSU J e h m u Greene, from left, the Rev. Marcia Dyson and Erica Alexander on the campus of WSSU earlier this week. Hillary supporters try to balance playing field at Obama-kind WSSU BY LAYLA FARMER THE CHRONICLE Three prominent African American women spoke on behalf of presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton Tuesday afternoon, in a forum dubbed. "A Conversation about Democratic Unity." Actress Erica Alexander of "The Cosby Show" and "Living Single" joined Jehmu Greene, a former president of Rock the Vote and Rev. Marcia Dyson, an author and tireless supporter of the Hillary Clinton Campaign, at the event held on the campus of Winston-Salem State University. "Universities in general have always been a place where freedom of thought and freedom of speech are highly regard ed, but it is also tempered with respect and civility," comment ed Provost Pedro Martinez. "Today, we have an opportunity to be able to show and to participate in that process." The event was sponsored by WSSU's Student Government Association. "At the Student Goverment Association, we definitely want to make sure we provide students with the opportunity to hear from all sides of the spectrum," SG A President Robert Stephens said of the organization's motivation to host the pro gram. Though billed as a conversation about Democratic unity, most of the women's comments were centered around the New York Senator and why they chose to support her. Alexander began the discussion by sharing a little of her personal story with the audience. "This election is very personal to me because half of my family does not have healthcare My mother went back to school in the 80s and is still paying down student loans," she explained. "I started looking for political solutions for some of the continual problems inside my family." Hillary Clinton stood out as the best solution for those problems, Alexander told the audience, which was largely populated by Barack Obama supporters. "I look for elected officials to have policies that can affect a change or help in my life," she said. Greene says she was only a teen when she first met Clinton, and told her about her family and her own political aspirations. When the two met again years later, Greene says the Senator still remembered her story. "She remembers and fights for and connects with people she meets from all across the country," Greene commented. No stranger to the political game, the former Rock the Vote leader says she dug deep and considered both Sen. Barack Obama and Clinton's messages before coming out in support of Clinton. "I did my homework, I researched these two candidates, I looked at their plans, I focused on the issues that had driven me, as an 18 year old, to get involved in the political process," she related. "After doing that research, it was a clear choice and it was an easy choice." Marcia Dyson has become a familiar face in Winston Salem of , late. The outspokeji supporter of the Clinton campaign has visited the Twin City at least three times in the weeks leading up to the May 6 primary race. Dyson spoke passionately about the senator, and her con tributions to women, minorities, and the environment, which Dyson refers to as "the civil rights issue" of the 21st Century. "Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who has said a long time ago that women's rights are human rights," she declared. In the end. all three women said they would support the Democratic nominee, even if the nomination goes to Clinton's opponent. Dyson urged those in the audience to think about the choice they face as voters and make an informed decision. "I'm hoping that you will be a thoughtful voter," she said. "I'm hoping that you will get engaged, not for the candidate, but for yourself, because they are your employees." Bipolar from page A7 whelming, imagine what it must be like to feel like you're constantly crawling in your own skin, unable to find an outlet for your energy! A person suffering with mania may also experience delusions of grandeur (unrealistic thoughts or expectations about one's abilities or powers) that may cause him or her to act in an uncharacteristic manner A manic person may spend more money than he or she can afford to spend, engage in risky behaviors such as sex and alcohol/drug abuse, or behave aggressively. They may make unsound decisions about very impor tant matters, as their cognitive abili ties" are suffering. Clearly, these symptoms and the actions they pro duce can be extremely self-destruc tive, though a person suffering from mania will frequently deny that any thing is wrong. These behaviors can impact their life, career, and reputa tion. It is important to note, too, that some people with bipolar disorder do not experience "full-blown" mania, but rather suffer from a moderW form called hypomania Hypomania will develop into mania in some indi viduals if it is not properly treated. The other side of bipolar disorder is depression. We have talked about depression in many other People's Clinic articles, so I won't dwell upon it here. As you may recall, depression is characterized by a persistent sad or "empty" mood; feelings of hopeless ness, worthlessness, and/or helpless ness; loss of interest in the things that used to bring pleasure; difficulty con centrating; irritability (note that irri tability can also be symptomatic of mania); oversleeping or insomnia (not being able to sleep); and, fre quently, thoughts of death or suicide. Whereas mania involves increased energy, depression is just the oppo site: people frequently feel "slowed down." Depression hurts; it is very real, and it is not something that the person can "just snap out of."" Myths about Bipolar Disorder A survivor once told me that someone in whom she confided went to a friend of hers and said, "Watch out for Mary. You don't know how long she'll be stable." (Names have been changed to protect the inno cent.) The good news about bipolar disorder is that it is very treatable, and there is no reason why a person being properly treated can't live a normal, stable, and productive life. I've also heard someone say about a person with bipolar disorder that that person could just "snap and kill us all"; this isn't true! Research shows that a person with bipolar disease is no more likely to be violent than a person without it Again, with proper treatment, survivors can hold jobs, function in society, and hold posi tions of authority. How can we handle stigma in a positive way? The most important thing to keep in mind when trying to address any stigma is the importance of educa tibn. Stigma is a natural response to things we don't understand, so learn ing about these things can help us address our own biases as well as help others see theirs. If you don't understand an illness, ask questions from a qualified health professional. >