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Wandering the vast American wasteland, the dust, the filth, the big cities and the small, a man with schizophrenia wandered into a small clinic in Brooklyn. Here he found antique furniture, a home, a hearth and more respect than he had ever been treated with as a mental health patient.

He began to stir from a three-decade-long slumber filled with nightmares. His courage filled his heart and he began a journey up the mountain at a steady and perhaps impatient clip because he realized that time was not on his side. His name was Ken Steele; known to some as the man of Steele.

Some ten years ago with the full support of clinical staff, he began a mental health consumer empowerment newsletter called Park Slope Center News, which was named after the clinic. Ken knew how good it felt to express himself and believed that others could feel the same. The newsletter grew and Ken realized then that mental health consumers wanted to express themselves, to explain what they needed and to share their experiences with each other.

In time, the newsletter became a newspaper, received grants, volunteers, professional printing and layout services and grew into what it is called today: New York City Voices. Ken and his team published the newspaper from his new apartment in Manhattan. From less than a hundred readers as the Park Slope Center News, New York City Voices’ readers soon numbered in the thousands.

After Ken’s passing, the newspaper continued because the spirit of this great man’s work remained though his body no longer contained it. Others like the new editor-in-chief Daniel Frey, Park Slope Center’s executive director Rita Seiden and an editorial board of Ken’s colleagues and friends resumed this part of his work.

After a time, some editorial board members dropped out and others replaced them, some with remarkable skills. One editorial board member named Richard Lenat created the website www.newyorkcityvoices.org that contains almost every article ever printed. Today, the website receives close to 600,000 hits and with its current growth is well on its way to one million. Richard also volunteered as a layout editor when the project was struggling financially. A computer programmer by profession, Richard learned a new program to keep the newspaper looking professional and easy to read.

Another editorial board member named Carl Blumenthal encouraged the team to organize conferences and fundraisers to support the newspaper financially and to give New York’s mental health community a chance to celebrate with us. As the former executive director responsible for Brooklyn’s Atlantic Antic, an annual street festival involving nearly 100,000 people, Carl used his management skills to divide planning and other duties among the editorial board and volunteers. In addition, he was responsible for several successful grants to keep the project funded.

City Voices has more writers, editors and volunteers than ever. Kurt Sass has been involved as an active editorial board member for many years. It was his ingenuity that streamlined our quarterly bulk mailing with 500-600 pounds of newspapers. In addition, he has been one of the newspaper’s most prolific writers noted for his opinion pieces, family and personal stories.

Eric Jackson has been an editorial board member for a long time and was responsible for one of our most successful issues dedicated to mental health among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. He has also contributed many articles including his personal recovery story, gay and Latino mental health issues and opinion pieces.

Will Jiang took the webmaster role from Richard. Using his skills as a library scientist and programmer to maintain the website, he places new issues with speed, and increases website visibility. Will was responsible for raising many thousands of dollars for the project as advertising director and has contributed many articles from personal stories, information on new breakthrough treatments to Internet resources for consumers.

Marvin Spieler worked with and was admired by Ken Steele. He was asked a long time ago to write a column called Editor at Large: As I See It, containing his thoughts, dreams and feelings on matters of mental health in society. He continues to do so while keeping the Voices’ team focused on our mission.

Christina Bruni is not currently serving on the editorial board, but continues to write her column Bruni in the City, which describes her adventures as a mental health consumer in New York City. In addition, she has written many articles dealing with stigma, employment, spirituality, opinion pieces, book reviews and more.

Marty Cohen came on board to help improve the look of City Voices with photos. As a professional photographer, he has taken the majority of photos that appear in the print edition. His column, The Roving Photographer asks three to five people the mental health question of the day, includes their headshots with their answers underneath.

Christopher Wallace has been involved with City Voices from the very first day the project moved into Harlem. He coordinates bulk mailings at the Harlem Bay Network Clubhouse from supervising volunteers to supplies, clean-up, payment, transport and assuring the United States Post Office does the job for our subscribers. He is City Voices’ director of distribution. In addition, Chris makes sure grant checks get processed and that important documents are received.

Tom Furey is an active editorial board member. He serves as the Queens/Long Island distribution manager, personally transporting newspapers to mental health and other sites in these areas. He also helps to make sure our events are safe and secure and transports necessary supplies to make these things a success.

Mariann Coleman is a participating editorial board member who was a good friend of Ken’s and has remained connected with the project for many years. She has helped with organizing our events, decorations and to raise funds. In addition, she has begun to write for the newspaper.

Steve Homan is an editorial board member whose vision is for the project to reach people outside of our mental health community. His ideas include a marketing plan and a new design for the newspaper. His article about domestic violence can be read on the website.

Teena Brooks is an active editorial board member and consultant. With her event-planning and organizing experience, City Voices relies on her for support in the planning of fundraisers, conferences and presentations. She also writes a secret column.

Gil Israeli is an editorial board member. He brings with him his grant-writing experience, Eastern practices and abundant ideas.

Crucial supporters were Patricia Warburg Cliff and Jo Ann Miller who volunteered their corporate conference rooms for our first editorial board meetings some time ago. There are at least 30 more people who are involved to various degrees as columnists, writers, volunteers, and supporters. New York City Voices is heavily dependent on everyone involved whether in big or small ways. From all of us to all of you: “We thank you and value you.”