Adversity to Alignment: Healing Horses, and Restorative Justice
From Trauma to Triumph: Building Healing Through Faith, Resilience, and Restorative Justice
Courage
My courage to overcome stands firmly in my faith. As a survivor of sexual assault and systemic violence, my journey has been defined not by the trauma I have endured, but by my refusal to allow outside forces to dictate my path.
This resilience was tested early in life. High school was incredibly difficult for me, but through consistency, determination, and grit, I graduated. Later, while pursuing higher education, a university dean told me that, because of my disability, I could not—or should not—pursue an MBA.
I absolutely refused to accept that as my educational fate.
Throughout my life, I have never allowed my disability to stop me from pursuing higher education, challenging expectations, or raising my standards, even when the path seemed impossible.
Unmasking the Divisive System
A persistent theme throughout my life has been navigating spaces rooted in classism and entitlement. My experience as an equestrian rider is a prime example.
I rode horses for a short time during my youth before my involvement was abruptly halted at age 14. I rode at Wind Ridge Ranch and became a competitive rider in games. I also owned a horse named Toper, whose registered name was Hop Skip Jump.
My young career in horseback riding ended after I was sexually assaulted at the age of 14, abruptly bringing that chapter of my life to a close.
Although that chapter was paused, I always knew horses were part of my destiny. Later in life, I returned to the equine world.
Returning, however, revealed that some of the same exclusions I experienced as a child still exist today. The equine industry is one where access and opportunity can too often be dictated by financial means, and where a subtle yet deeply troubling system of colorism persists.
The broader social system is frequently structured in ways that can create these very outcomes—disadvantages, barriers, hurdles, and assumptions that divide us.
This division is toxic to the fabric of human growth and community development.
Real impact comes from challenging the very concepts that many people are too afraid to confront or even acknowledge. We are a people woven from many different fabrics, and every one of those fabrics is vital to our collective growth.
A Vision for Restorative Healing
Growth can only happen when we are willing to listen, learn, and embrace the vast diversity placed before us.
There is no room for exclusion.
Being a bright light in a dark space has the power to illuminate what has been obscured by misplaced judgments and assumptions.
I believe deeply in advocating for truth and educating individuals about the real impact of trauma. When people come together to share their lived experiences, we begin to discover common ground and develop a deeper understanding of one another.
This is why my dream is to establish a business rooted in family values, inspirational growth, and restorative justice.
There is a desperate need to bridge divides and restore balance to our social landscape. We must learn to see through the eyes of faith and recognize people first as human beings, rather than objectifying or diminishing their existence.
Through public speaking, community service, and policy advocacy, my goal is to build collaborative partnerships that create spaces for meaningful and lasting healing.
The Path Forward
By bringing horses and human lineage together, we can begin to address some of the gaps that divide us.
True healing requires active listening, an honest examination of both sides of our shared history, and a willingness to dismantle the judgments and assumptions that keep us separated.
There is still much work to do.
But with encouragement, unwavering faith, compassion, and a commitment to restorative justice, we can build communities where everyone has a place to heal, grow, contribute, and thrive.
Our differences do not have to divide us. They can become part of the strength that connects us.
