What does it mean to be “WeFree”?
WeFree. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But what does being “free” really mean? Let’s find out…
Who “We” are:
WeFree. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But what does being “free” really mean?
Some people get drunk, smoke pot or snort cocaine to assert what they call “freedom”. We would like to show that real freedom means living, loving, and having fun without the need for any outside substance that changes the way we feel.
Being WeFree means not being “dependent” on anything. Drugs are one thing people can be dependent on, but what about the judgment of others? The fear of not being “enough”, on the mirror or the bathroom scale, or a number of other things that keep us from being ourselves. WeFree means making a choice and knowing when to say “no”. Maybe t hat means going against the current, when someone wants to impose their views on us or tries to make us do something we don’t think is right. Being WeFree means that the “stuff” that we need to feel good is right inside of us, and we don’t need drugs.
A “WeFree” world
WeFree is a way of life, a way of looking at ourselves and others. WeFree is also a project, made up of many parts. There are theatrical shows which tour Italy, for example, where young people that have gone through drug addiction can talk about what they went through, how they felt, and how things are different for them now that they have found themselves. Our web site, www.wefree.it, makes it possible to keep in touch with us when we’re off the road, as well as to read up on our stories, share your experiences, or ask for advice, without embarrassment or fear, in the forums. Our annual event, WeFree Day is an occasion for us to have fun, exchange, think. It is “WeFree” and more, as it continues to evolve each year…it’s what “We” make it, and we want your suggestions! WeFree is a living, growing project that needs your ideas, your creativity, so “We” can all be really “Free”!
Why We Free?
“Preventing drug abuse”… “At risk youth”…how many times have we heard these words, catchphrases and asked ourselves exactly what they are supposed to mean? Words like these too often sound empty and certainly like they don’t apply to us. WeFree is a new way to communicate the things that are important to us, not simply by being “against” drugs, but by being “for” something else: important things like life and freedom. WeFree is a name we give to a project designed to support all those young people who don’t consider drug use “normal” and acceptable, nor do they think it is the only way to have fun. We all know that in today’s world, finding drugs is very easy. Finding drugs, and taking them, sometimes seems to be the simplest solution to all of life’s little problems and setbacks – the cure for our fears and insecurities.
All too often drug use begins with simple curiosity, and ends up becoming a situation that affects not only us and our future, but our friends, families and loved ones. WeFree brings young people who have gone through all this to schools across Italy to tell their stories. These same young people also have blogs in which they can talk about themselves. After all, drugs are just a symptom of something else that’s going wrong, and having someone to talk to, who will listen, can make all the difference sometimes. WeFree isn’t simply an “anti drug” project, but a way of life, a philosophy if you like. It means meeting young people that believe that real freedom is possible, with which we have much in common and from which we can learn a lot. It means getting to know those who, all over the world, are working in the most creative and innovative ways to find their own ways to be “Free”.
