Introducing myself and my journal: Living Out Loud With Joy

About Me:
For the past 20 years, I have developed a career working to serve anyone affected by human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic violence and all forms of violence in a variety of roles: Consultant, Speaker, Trainer, Facilitator, Author, Researcher, Educator, Organizer, Leader, Advocate, Activist, and Mentor. I am a self-identified survivor of domestic violence who finished raising 4 teenagers as a single mother. Over the span of those 20 years, I have provided innovative curricula, awareness, and education for many professional and service organizations, as well as delivering workshops for the NCADV conferences in 2002 and 2006. My undergraduate (BA) and graduate (MA) degrees (Interdisciplinary Studies: Gender, Culture and History) focused on the intersection of poverty, sexism, racism, human rights, and homelessness with human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual violence, stalking and all forms of violence against women, with a special interest in the survivors’ perspective including Native American and Spanish-speaking survivors. As a member of Cohort VII of the Graduate School Of Public Affairs of the University of Colorado-Denver, I have been inspired and motivated to form my own business, Self Empowerment Strategies, to help create and promote change in our social and cultural norms, locally and globally, to eliminate all forms of violence against women. In March 2011, I was chosen from a pool of 6 United States domestic violence experts, to travel to the country of Belarus, where I advised and consulted with the YWCA of Belarus and presented at an international government conference. Being a survivor of domestic violence, I have enjoyed working with several different groups of survivors over the past 20 years, in capacities such as organizing, leading, mentoring, supporting, and sharing empowerment strategies. My most recent national work was in May 2012 at the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence at the 15th Annual Rural Conference and statewide in July for Safe Place DV & SA Program in Olympia, WA. http://www.sisses.net and http://www.3women3ways.com

My Passions:
Women, Leadership and Social Justice

My Challenges:
Too much work, too little time!

My Vision for the Future:
a world free of violence against women and girls

My Areas of Expertise:
anti violence expert