April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. For those that know me or have simply heard my story, it’s no secret I’m an assault survivor and I’m not ashamed. My freshman year of college I was sexually assaulted in my dorm room. This moment drastically altered my life. I spent my freshman year trying to re-find and heal myself. My sophomore year I was crowned Miss Black and Old Gold. I created The Self Love Project, a safe space/ support group for survivors of assault on campus. I hosted a 6-week program to provide a place for women to feel empathy instead of sympathy, to heal with other women, and provide tips and encouragement to the participants. Though this was a closed group program, I was able to host and co-program with two other organizations about healthy vs toxic relationships and domestic violence and how it effects Black and college women.
Though traumatic, this moment created my purpose: to give a voice to the voiceless. I became very passionate about advocating and spreading awareness against gender-based violence. Many assault survivors walk through their daily life bearing this weight alone. I know my freshman year I felt lonely and I didn’t want anyone else to go through what I experienced. I’m very grateful I was able to connect with so many women. Although others assume, I helped them, they have no idea how much they all helped me heal. For the first time, I felt like I could talk to others who understood firsthand how I felt.
Following the end of my reign, I knew I want to continue having these important conversations to help put an end to gender-based violence. Ultimately, my dream is to start a nonprofit organization based off The Self Love Project. This idea sparked during the sign-up process hen women outside of OU reached out to me wishing they had something similar at their university. To keep the conversation going currently, I began covering stories highlighting personal stories and events that advocate against this violence. I am also in the hiring process of working as a Peer Educator through the Gender and Equality Center. On a broader scale, I have also since started a podcast about my experiences living in my 20s including conversations about dating and pop culture. Also have episodes specifically about gender-based violence, dating violence, and patriarchy to continue having the conversation.
Ultimately, I hope to touch the hearts of everyone I meet. I hope to encourage self-reflection to heal from situations unspoken. I hope to encourage everyone to love themselves more. I share my story, not because it’s easy, but because I hope my testimony helps and inspires someone.
* Completed for “Introduction to Public Relations”. This is a very personal piece created with the intent to connect with other survivors by sharing my story as well as to hopefully inspire others to spread awareness against gender-based violence. This is an individual writing piece where I was able to educate others by sharing my experience.
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