Howie the Harp was the first Director of Advocacy for Community Access, a not-for-profit agency helping people with psychiatric disabilities make the transition from shelters and hospitals to independent living.. He was born and raised in New York City. and was hospitalized for more than a year at the age of 14. At the age of 17, he ran off to become a part of the survivor movement.

Howie became involved in formal advocacy through the Insane Liberation Front in Oregon in 1971 and returned to New York shortly thereafter to begin the Mental Patients Liberation Project. He also founded or helped found Project Release in New York in 1975 and several advocacy groups in California in the 1980's.

"I've been diagnosed as a schizophrenic, as psychotic, as manic-depressive and as psychotic depressive," Mr. Geld said later. "I don't really believe in those labels, but there have been times in my life when I went into what can be called a manic episode, and when I went into severe depressions. What I'm doing with my life right now is trying to learn how to control what I call manic energy. If it can be controlled and directed and channeled, it could be really valuable and real powerful. I'd rather learn how to control it, rather than be cured of it."

While institutionalized, he had trouble sleeping, and a night attendant taught Mr. Geld to play the harmonica. He said he got his nickname, Howie the Harp, when he played his harmonica on the streets of Greenwich Village to earn money for food and a place to sleep.

New York Times (2/14/95): Howard Geld