Bob Dylan doesn鈥檛 have a Twitter account. He has an official Facebook page, but it鈥檚 clearly not him doing the posting. When he does interviews 鈥� rarely 鈥斅爃e鈥檚 been known to speak in rambles and riddles, especially during points in his career when he鈥檚 felt particularly combative with the press.
Even in comparison to other music icons, we never really get to know Bob Dylan.
In some respects, Matt Burgar can relate. At the age of six, Matt was diagnosed with a learning disability. It makes it difficult for him to concentrate; he describes it as having a different way of understanding things than other people. When life gets a bit stressed or off-balance, he often feels anxious. And there have been many times growing up when his experiences have left him feeling lonely and isolated.
鈥淚 was bullied a lot when I was younger,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople didn鈥檛 understand me, and sometimes I feel like people still don鈥檛 always understand me. I want people to not have to go through that, and others [going through that] need to know they鈥檙e not alone.鈥�
Matt persevered: now, at the age of 23, he鈥檚 in the fourth year of his History degree at pilipili漫画 and has taken up the cause of helping people understand and appreciate his experiences, as well as those of others who live with learning disorders and mental illnesses.
A voice for mental health
This Friday night, Matt takes to stage at the annual fundraiser as the youngest solo performer in the event鈥檚 13-year history. Hosted by Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, the event features business and community leaders performing as iconic music stars to raise funds for mental health programs and services in the province.
Matt, who has been part of the event in previous years singing with the Men for Mental Health Choir, will be performing as Bob Dylan 鈥� complete with the outfit, the voice, the guitar and the songs, including classics like 鈥淟ike a Rolling Stone鈥� and 鈥淭he Times They Are a-Changin鈥�,鈥� his personal favourite.
鈥淏ob Dylan kind of seemed like a perfect match for me,鈥� says Matt. 鈥淸Dylan] was a troubadour, and he鈥檚 kind of misunderstood sometimes. But also I like his music: he鈥檚 a great songwriter, a very good musician. And some of his songs have a good message to them if you interpret them as having a positive mental health spin.鈥�
With support from his parents, Donna and Rod, who鈥檝e been helping rally business contacts to the cause, Matt has raised $50,000 and counting for the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia.
Starr Dobson, the foundation鈥檚 president and CEO, says the event is not just about fundraising, though: it鈥檚 also about putting mental health in the spotlight.
鈥淏y celebrating the voices of our community leaders, we're giving a voice to those Nova Scotians who are struggling in silence,鈥� she says. 鈥淎wareness is just as important as dollars when it comes to muting the stigma."
Dobson adds that having someone like Matt, who lives daily with mental health challenges, as part of the performing lineup sums up what the event is all about.
鈥淲e need more mental health champions who aren't afraid to share their personal stories. By singing loud and strong Matt is empowering others. His story of inspiration will absolutely change the way people think."
Facing challenges
Even as he gets closer to the end of his Dal degree, Matt鈥檚 story is not without its struggles sometimes.
鈥淗aving a learning disability can be messy at times,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t can be tough, for sure; that鈥檚 an understatement. But you get through it, you accept it, and you learn to live with it 鈥斅燼nd not only can you live with it, but I think you can thrive with it.鈥�
Music is part of how Matt aims to thrive. He鈥檚 owned a guitar since the age of 13, but it鈥檚 really been in the past five years or so that he鈥檚 taken to playing regularly, everything from blues and jazz to rock and metal. He鈥檚 also greatly enjoyed his time at Dal, having long been a big history buff.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been challenging,鈥� he says of his studies, 鈥渂ut that鈥檚 part of the whole thing about university: you want it to be challenging. If it鈥檚 not challenging, you might not be in the right courses.鈥�
And he鈥檚 already thinking ahead to future challenges, including potentially pursuing further studies in education. (He says being a teacher is something he thinks he鈥檇 enjoy.) But, right now, his focus is on being the best Bob Dylan possible.
鈥淚 hope people enjoy it, and that they learn people with learning disabilities and learning challenges are not all the same,鈥� he says of his performance. 鈥淧eople with mental health issues should be respected and treated as members of society, and as equal to anyone else in society. And I hope it encourages others to speak out as well.鈥�
You can donate to support Matt and the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia .