Some stories take 52 years to write.

This week, HuffPost published one of the most difficult personal essays I’ve written.

I was 19 when the events in this story took place. For decades, I couldn’t fully speak about what happened. The Catalyst at Cornell was the tipping point for me, breaking down decades of internal defense infrastructure I had built up. I had been wracked with shame.

Since publication, one of the most meaningful responses has come from women who recognize parts of their own histories in mine.

That’s one of the reasons I believe in personal storytelling: the story may begin with one person, but it rarely remains hers alone.

I needed to use my voice, so that others could find theirs too. 

Please Read the HuffPost Article