IF YOU NEED A SPEAKER ...

I have a passion for sharing some of my most vulnerable experiences in a very intentional way because I'm aware of how influential our stories are in encouraging empathy and laying a trustworthy foundation for education.

As a former child of kinship care and kinship adoptive mom I'm able to speak to this often underserved community through a lens of empathy and grace without sacrificing honesty for the sake of comfort. From the importance of age appropriate truths to the necessity of healthy boundaries, I am well equipped to speak candidly on these heavy but necessary topics.

As a birthmom of twenty-one years (in reunion since my firstborn turned nine) I am passionate about exposing the humanity of that title. Truthfully, we (birthmothers) are just now being handed the proverbial mic, so it makes sense that we still carry decades of stereotypes we've collected throughout our years of silence ... our very existence can cause fear and confusion for adoptive families unfamiliar or uneducated on how we can fit into the puzzle post placement. I'm eager to show up authentically, and help shed light on that while we boldly explore conversations that have historically been overlooked; like how adoption inevitably impacts any existing or future children ... in retrospect, it's more of an adoption circle than a triad.

Additionally, I am incredibly passionate about speaking into life after trauma and the value of building resilience. I believe I said it best in every moment before this one, my collection of poetry and prose on trauma and resilience.

"Resilience, like most good things, has been used as a weapon in the wrong hands. It is not a scapegoat for neglect or abuse, nor is it inherently present in all individuals. Likewise, its misuse does not negate its value. Resilience is a gift for those of us who have endured trauma; it is a tool, much like the practice of self-regulating our emotions. Resiliency is an acknowledgment that we can experience good outcomes in the face of adversity and that our lived experience has not damned us to only be victims of our circumstances, statistics, diagnosis, and labels. Resilience feels like taking back the power that others tried to steal."

If you would like to invite me to speak at an upcoming event, either online or in person, please fill out the form below: