The Unexpected Echo of Sharing Stories
We recently returned from a bike and boat trip in the Netherlands. As we often do, we shared the family trauma story that served as the catalyst for founding REimagine Justice Inc.
What happened next is a phenomenon I have witnessed time and again: As often happens sharing vulnerability acts as a magnet. When you trust people with your deepest pains, it creates a safe, immediate space for them to share theirs.
The Foster Advocate: One woman opened up about her heartbreaking, vital volunteer work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and work in the foster care system.
The Caregiver: Another woman—who quickly became our go-to beer pal on the trip—shared the heavy, dozen-year decline of her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, alongside other deeply personal family traumas.
From a Prison Holding Room to the Netherlands
This trip was a beautiful, a reminder of the lessons I first learned back in 2016, when I began visiting a prison inmate. Twice a week, sitting in the holding room surrounded by other families, I listened to countless stories of systemic and personal trauma. Those raw, waiting-room conversations are the reason our nonprofit exists today—to give those stories a voice.
Whether you are crowded into a prison waiting room or cruising a canal halfway across the world, human connection thrives on shared truth. When we have the courage to speak our history, we give others permission to do the same. We learn, we heal, and we remember that none of us are carrying these burdens entirely alone.
