A Grande Prairie photographer is on a mission to create more conversation around suicide.
Suzanne Sagmeister is the driving force behind Conspiracy of Hope, a suicide awareness campaign launched in June.
She’s been photographing suicide survivors, and is also involving music in the project.
“A lot of my time is spent with musicians. I co-wrote a song with Tenille, who’s from Grande Prairie as well, and rounded up some of my favourite voices, and we’re down at The Beach Audio in Calgary recording, so it’s all coming together.”
Alberta has the fourth highest suicide rate by province in Canada, all deaths that Sagmeister believes can be prevented.
“Even some of the musicians have said they started talking about being involved in this project, and it’s crazy how much healing that they’ve had, and how many people they have found out, that they sat next to for years, that they never even knew how much they were affected by suicide.”
The song “Hope” and the accompanying music video will presented along with the photographs at an event in Grande Prairie on September 25th.
Part of the proceeds will go towards the local Suicide Prevention Resource Centre.