Mitzi Perdue: Sirens. Sleepless Nights.

After six trips to Ukraine as a war correspondent, Mitzi Perdue came face to face with a hidden front line: by some estimates, 95% of Ukrainians are grappling with insomnia, anxiety, depression, or panic attacks. Yet in proportion to this overwhelming need, there are almost no mental health professionals available. In this talk, Perdue tells the inside story of how that reality led her to an idea – and what it took to turn it into action. The result is an AI-driven triage-inspired mental health platform, put into effect by Ukrainian psychotherapists, tested by the National Police and Ministry of Defense, and now available 24/7, free on smartphones. It is a story shaped by the horrors of war and by the extraordinary courage and ingenuity of people who are helping to heal a nation. The lecture is 7 p.m. Monday, October 26, in Holloway Hall's Great Hall.