Steven Brown
Founder of Chrysalis
"Chrysalis was inspired by God, created out of my own personal journey.
As a young teenager, I saw my life crumble to pieces, destroyed by crushing depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, addictions, and bullying. I know all too well what it is like to be told you're ugly, that you're not good at anything, that nobody likes you. The really painful thing about bullying, is that it is usually based upon truth. My bullies were right. I wasn't good looking, I was awkward and clumsy, and I wasn't really good at anything. I played a lot of sports and board games and such, but I was never very good at those things. I seemed to lose at everything. It seemed like I was losing at life itself, like everything was beating me into the ground. I wasn't successful with school either, and I rebelled against school and authority. The problem is, the more you lose, the more you feel like a loser. The more you fail, the more you feel like a failure. I know now what it is like to have your self-worth completely stripped away, to feel so worthless and lonely and guilty, so completely empty, that you don't wan't to live anymore. What do you do with a situation like that? For me, I ended up coming to believe in God, and He saved me at a time when I was so far gone it's a miracle I am still here today. God gave me purpose, showing me that I could at least help others. He gave me passion, when He got me to try auditioning for theatre for the first time in my life. More than anything, He picked me up when I was the most broken, the most unworthy. He picked me up and washed me clean with a love so powerful I could physically feel it, a love that was absolutely 100% unconditional, a love that set me free. I didn't need to prove myself to Him. I didn't need to be a winner. I didn't need to be a success. I didn't need to be talented. He loved me just as I was. As I said, He then got me into theatre, and a few years later He inspired me to combine my purpose for helping others with my passion for theatre, by starting a "non-profit Christian youth theatre program". Thus, Chrysalis was born.
The name "Chrysalis" is symbolic of God's love, symbolic for what this program is all about. A chrysalis in real life is a cocoon, an experience so safe and sheltered and nurturing, that a vulnerable little caterpillar can blossom into a magnificent butterfly. That's what our program is all about. We see something magnificent and beautiful in every student. We strive to provide them with sheltered, safe, nurturing experiences that allow that inner strength and beauty to blossom and burst forth, to develop what they need to carry them through life as they soar higher and farther than they ever dared dream was possible."
Founder of Chrysalis
"Chrysalis was inspired by God, created out of my own personal journey.
As a young teenager, I saw my life crumble to pieces, destroyed by crushing depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, addictions, and bullying. I know all too well what it is like to be told you're ugly, that you're not good at anything, that nobody likes you. The really painful thing about bullying, is that it is usually based upon truth. My bullies were right. I wasn't good looking, I was awkward and clumsy, and I wasn't really good at anything. I played a lot of sports and board games and such, but I was never very good at those things. I seemed to lose at everything. It seemed like I was losing at life itself, like everything was beating me into the ground. I wasn't successful with school either, and I rebelled against school and authority. The problem is, the more you lose, the more you feel like a loser. The more you fail, the more you feel like a failure. I know now what it is like to have your self-worth completely stripped away, to feel so worthless and lonely and guilty, so completely empty, that you don't wan't to live anymore. What do you do with a situation like that? For me, I ended up coming to believe in God, and He saved me at a time when I was so far gone it's a miracle I am still here today. God gave me purpose, showing me that I could at least help others. He gave me passion, when He got me to try auditioning for theatre for the first time in my life. More than anything, He picked me up when I was the most broken, the most unworthy. He picked me up and washed me clean with a love so powerful I could physically feel it, a love that was absolutely 100% unconditional, a love that set me free. I didn't need to prove myself to Him. I didn't need to be a winner. I didn't need to be a success. I didn't need to be talented. He loved me just as I was. As I said, He then got me into theatre, and a few years later He inspired me to combine my purpose for helping others with my passion for theatre, by starting a "non-profit Christian youth theatre program". Thus, Chrysalis was born.
The name "Chrysalis" is symbolic of God's love, symbolic for what this program is all about. A chrysalis in real life is a cocoon, an experience so safe and sheltered and nurturing, that a vulnerable little caterpillar can blossom into a magnificent butterfly. That's what our program is all about. We see something magnificent and beautiful in every student. We strive to provide them with sheltered, safe, nurturing experiences that allow that inner strength and beauty to blossom and burst forth, to develop what they need to carry them through life as they soar higher and farther than they ever dared dream was possible."
