Period 4: Survivor Research and Activism by Kimberly McCurdy

Sample Answer: Add your NAME

kmccurdy2 — 2022-09-15 22:22:38 UTC

Ishmael Beah grew up in Sierra Leone in a village near Matru Jong. One day he went to hang out with friends and his older brother to attend a talent show. While they were gone, the RUF rebels attacked his village and all was lost. Ishmael was unable to return home and couldn't find his family. He and his friends eventually have to join a child soldier group to stay alive. They were forced to fight, take drugs, and live a dangerous life until a charity group named UNICEF came to his country and saved some of the boys. His recovery was difficult and it took him 6 months to learn how to live a normal life again. He eventually gets adopted and he turns all of his trauma into helping others. He writes a book about his story to raise awareness of what was going on his country and he joined UNICEF to become a public speaker, save more children, and help in as many ways as possible. The main thing I learned from Beah's story is that everyone can have a second chance in life if they don't give up and to always know there is someone out there that wants to help you.

3 Sources:
1. http://alongwaygone.com/
2. https://www.unicef.org/goodwill-ambassadors/ishmael-beah
3. https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Ishmael+Beah

Shaun E.

2022-09-19 18:55:02 UTC

Ashley Easter, born 1981 in Fairborn Ohio, advocates abuse victims after escaping the patriarchal cult in which she stayed for twenty-two years. After years of therapy and coaching she teaches and coaches other ex-cultists how to live and adjust in society.
The main thing that I learned from researching Ashley was there are people all over the world recovering from mistreatment and abuse caused by cults. We can help these people by donating tocult survivor support groups.
3 Sources:
1.https://www.ashleyeaster.com/story
2.
https://rule29.com/meet-ashley-easter/
3.
https://www.missioalliance.org/author/ashleyeaster/

Emily Williams

2022-09-19 19:19:48 UTC

“Across the world, millions of women and girls live in the dark shadows of human trafficking.”, says sex trafficking activist Kendall Alaimo. Kendall had lost her childhood and part of her young adulthood to sex trafficking. She doesn’t go into much detail about her experience, but she does point out how in her healing process, she had felt that she was the one educating the clinicians about her symptoms more than they were actually treating her. Kendall believes that recognizing and treating trauma, talking openly and responsibly about suicide, and building a community that witnesses the suffering of others can prevent the 800,000 completed suicides globally each year. Kendall now helps others by giving speeches and sharing her experiences with others with ways that they could help and improve. As well as, working to create dialogue about human trafficking through her colorful art. The main thing that I learned from researching Kendall was that we could all help with better recognizing and treating others' trauma and that you are not alone in what you're going through and there will always be someone out there to listen to your voice.

3 sources:
1. https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/kendall-alaimo-2021-world-day-trafficking-persons/
2. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/kendall-alaimo.html
3.
https://www.kendallalaimo.com/talk

Ashlyn Aldaco

2022-09-20 18:49:13 UTC

Sari Kaufman was 15 years old and a student at Stone man Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. She survived a school shooting. On the day 17 people were killed by a gunman on February 14, 2018. Sari explains that she has never been to more funerals in her life, especially at the young age of 15. A member of the school debate team, Kaufman had debated about gun laws just a few months earlier. To deal with the traumatic event, she wrote “an emotional but informational letter to legislative representatives.” The letter went viral on social media, but got little response from legislators. She became a lead organizer of the March for Our Lives, which also included a voter registration drive.

Sources: 1. https://sanford.duke.edu/story/parkland-survivor-tells-how-she-became-activist/

2. https://isps.yale.edu/team/sari-kaufman

3. https://www.chicagotribune.com/96050923-132.html

James Cibrian

2022-09-20 18:49:51 UTC

David Miles Hogg, Born april 12, 2000, a survivor of the Stoneman Douglas high school shooting. David recovered from the shooting and right away wanted to make a difference. He first wanted to start by raising awaraness for people that have also been through the same and similar things. He led protests about School shootings and also led marches regarding school shootings. In one of the articles it says, "we're fortunate to have somebody so young, so poised and someone who knew how to take a tragedy and turn it into action". This is very powerful because most people young and old go through something hard to go through and let it effect them their whole life and they become a victim to it when they should use it to their advantage to become stronger as a person and also use it for others benefits.
3 Sources: 
1. wikipedia (what first popped up when I put his name)
2. ABC Boston
3. Udel.edu

Brody R (Tyler Smith)

2022-09-20 18:50:27 UTC

"Eight different injuries bringing two surgeries and 13 days in the hospital"(google). This isn't the worst thing Tyler Smith had to deal with after surviving getting totaled by a semil truck while his hockey team of 29 are held inside. Mental health is a slightly debatable topic, is it that important? Do i really need to worry about it? According to Tyler Smith and his experiences of constantly battling his mental health yes it is, It's "as important as your physical health". Tyler has come up with many phrases/quotes one of the most popular ones being, "I'ts okay to not be okay". He has said these phrases while giving speeches around the world about mental health also writing an article on the platform "Unsinkable". He hopes to make a difference he says," I can hopefully make a difference for other people and really offer that sense of hope and shape that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!". He is now currently working to reduce the rate of male suicide by 25% by 2030.

Source 1: https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/tyler-smith-mental-health
Source 2:https://sharpmagazine.com/2020/10/19/movember-stories-tyler-smith/
Source 3: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/humboldt-broncos-crash-survivor-tyler-smith-opens-up-on-mental-health

ARTURO C.

2022-09-20 18:51:59 UTC

Nadia Murad was born march 10th she was born in in Kocho Iraq she was a student living in koho when in Sin jar when Islamic state fighters rounded up yazidi community in the village killing 600 people including 6 of Nadia's brothers and step brothers and the Islamic state fighters took the woman and younger girls into slavery.she was later on raped and sexually assaulted she was also burnt with cigarettes when she tried to make her escape the Islamic state fighters caught her and held Nadia in a shipping container. The main idea is to be aware of human trafficking and refugees.
3 sources
1. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2018/murad/facts
2.
https://www.nadiasinitiative.org/nadia-
murad
3.
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/research-insights/policy-topics/human-rights/isis-trafficking-survivor-nadia-murad-basee

kasey spalding

2022-09-20 18:56:44 UTC

summary
Leymah gbowee much like Ishmael beah was a child soldier seeing and experiencing unimaginable trauma. Leymah escaped being a child soldier and trys her best to help those in it escape and to avoid war. Leymah went on to win the nobel peace prize one of the most respected awards ever. she also helped end all the continues fighting and helped stop the second Liberian civil war.
she was born in somewhere in central Liberia and grew up in Monrovia and had to live her childhood through the first Liberian civil war.

sources
1

Leymah Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate

2 Leymah Gbowee – Biographical - NobelPrize.org

3Leymah Gbowee - Wikipedia

Andre Campos (Ashley Easter)

2022-09-20 18:57:38 UTC

Ashley Easter was born and raised in and independent christian Fundamental church. From a very young age Ashley was taught that men were superior to women, and she was only their to make children and be submissive. When she was 22 she met a man he unknowingly enlightened her on women and men being equal. She did more research and found he was right she was baffled and didn't know what to think weeks had gone by and she decided to change her ideology and began to be rebellious. In her later years after she had left the church she started an event in 2016 called the 'Courage Conference' which is an event which had the purpose of gaining victim advocates. I learned that many people today could be in a cult that they are not aware of. I also learned how easy it is to be manipulated and brainwashed.

Sources:

1) https://www.ashleyeaster.com/

2)https://eewc.com

3)https://redletterchristians.org

Brianna Beltran

2022-09-20 19:01:10 UTC

Tyler Smith whom survived a horrible bus accident on April 6th 2018 that sadly killed 16 of his teammates. Luckily 12 of his teammates survived. Tyler was born in Leduc Alberta Canada. Sports were a huge part of Tyler’s life and as he states, “They shaped me into the person he is today.“ He was on his way to a semi final hockey game when a semi truck hit his bus. He was severely injured and had about 9 body injuries including a broken collar bone, broken shoulder blade, nerve damage down his left arm, and more. Tyler was doing everything in his power to get better physically including going from doctors appointment to doctors appointment, taking medication, and etc… He then realized that not only did he need to get better physically but mentally as well. With time he realized how important mental health is and how important it is to put yourself first before others. Tyler wrote an article “It’s ok to not be ok” that was published on September 15 2019 to share his experience and help others with expressing their mental health issues. A message he left for others was : “You have to be willing to open up when you aren’t doing so hot. Life is very short take advantage of the time you have and be grateful for the people around you.” What I learned from Tyler was that mental health is as important as physical health.

Sources:

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/humboldt-broncos-crash-survivor-tyler-smith-opens-up-on-mental-health/wcm/75feeb12-8bb7-44d9-8f89-ddc4d5a25aec/amp/

https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/tyler-smith-mental-health

https://weareunsinkable.com/its-okay-to-not-be-okay/

Larry Woods

2022-09-20 19:03:15 UTC

David Hogg born April 12, 2000 was a regular high school student when on Febuary 14, 2018 an expelled student by the name of Nikolas Cruz walked into his school and opened fire murdering 17 of his classmates. Today Hogg is a gun rights activist who has fought for more laws preventing guns from getting into the hands of lunatics. Hogg has written a book about the shooting and how we should prevent guns from being as easily obtained.
Hogg has protested against guns many time and has even lead the movement march for our lives. Hogg believes the enemies aren't the people who want guns, but the laws themselves that enable crazy people to act on their impulses.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hogg

https://www.arcadia.edu/story/qa-david-hogg

https://time.com/6186538/david-hogg-guns-march-for-our-lives/

Rhlyn G.

2022-09-20 19:06:24 UTC

Emma Gonzalez,born November 11,1999 in Florida,was a victim in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.This shooting was named the deadliest high school shooting in U.S history,which killed 17 people.Emma spreads word about "gun control".They have been on CNN,NRA,Glamour Magazine,The Washington Post,NBC New's Time Magazine,MSNBC,and the "March for our lives".At the time of the shooting they were in the auditorium with dozens of other students when the alarm went off,they tried to exit but they were told to take cover.They were in there for 2 hours until police lead them out.Some of the speeches she has done are,"Parkland Students Emma Gonzalez opens up about her fight for Gun Control."-Harpers Bazar,Febuary 26,2018."Emma Gonzalez on why this generation needs gun control."Teen Vouge,March 23,2018.Emma has given many speeches and spoke out about what happened that day and spreads word about how we as a generation need better gun control.Even after the shooting she felt the need and courage to speak out on this issue.As said by them they don't want this traumatic event happening to many others.To live with what needs to change.https://variety.com
/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Gonz%C3%A1lezhttps:/
/awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/

Levi Anderson

2022-09-20 19:06:51 UTC

Befeqadu Hailu, an Ethiopian blogger arrested for speaking out against his oppressive government. Born on February 14, 1980 in Addis Ababa the largest city in Ethiopia. He started his blog in 2011 not meaning to become an activist, just to share his thoughts about human rights and democracy in Ethiopia. Over time he slowly started talking about the oppression and mismanagement of the Ethiopian government which promptly got his blog banned. This made him fight even harder against the government by getting more involved with the other activists. After getting more and more involved he was eventually jailed for 18 months. Befeqadu now fights for his countries future hoping that someday they can have true democracy and equality.

1.https://freedomhouse.org/article/blogger-civil-society-leader-ethiopias-befekadu-hailu

2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befeqadu_Hailu

3.https://www.helpsetthemfree.org/befikadu-hailu-2/

Jayden Evans

2022-09-20 19:07:54 UTC

Polline Akello grew up in Uganda until she was abducted right out of her garden at the age of 12 by Joseph Kony's Lord Resistance Army, Polline was then raped and throw in jail, got pregnant at the age of 15 while in jail she also married one of the young commanders of the LRA she was married at the age of 15 to a 23 year old man after 7 years in jail Polline managed to escape by telling the LRA that she would come back when she was healthy in 2009 Polline managed to find her family witch she thought was all dead. now Polline travels the world telling her story to high schools and helps other child soldiers to get away from the abuse she went through. Polline also found out the names of all the people that raped her and put the ones that were still alive in jail.

Source#1 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/09/polline-akello-joseph-kony-lords-resistance-army-uganda

Source #2
https://thisisafrica.me/africans-rising/polline-akello-from-child-soldier-to-global-advocate/

Source#3
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-saw-young-girls-give-birth-running-with-guns-going-off-83xgx8qznhh

Adamaris Andrade

2022-09-20 19:10:41 UTC

Crystal Anthony is now 54 years old. She was abused by her father. But now crystal has managed to change all that truma to something better, into a career that to help victims like her. Crystal anthony's goal is to help others who don't have a voice. She wanted to start her own nonprofit she, thought about this on her way from mexico because she encounter girls be sold for sex. At the end she decided to become a social worker. Crystal anthony said "When I read the description of what a social worker is, I realized that was what I wanted to be,” she said. “Social workers aren’t just people who go into people’s homes. We do different types of social work … and make real change in people’s lives.”(shin 6). This quote taught me more about what she feels. It made me see activism in a different way. I learned that Social workers like crystal anthony should be brought more respect for what they do. Some with a harsh back round and now doing everything they can to make sure other people get what they need or to make sure kids, adults, anyone's voice is heard.
https://news.usc.edu/83100/alumna-turns-childhood-trauma-into-activism/

Monica P.

2022-09-20 19:11:11 UTC

Crystal Anthony,born November 20th 1980 raised in San Diego County.Crystal is a Cyclo-Cross Cyclist she represented her nation in the womens elite evenet at 2016 UCI Cylo-Cross world championships.Crystal grew up under the hands of an abusive father.She and her mother were the frequent targets of his displaced anger."I can remeber a vivid image of my father putting a gun to my mom's head and asking me,"who do I love more" she recalled."was only 4 or 5,but I knew what I needed to say for him to stop."The beatings were severe and the fear palpable but she still considers herself one of the lucky ones.She survived and has learned to channel those memories of violence into a career helping other victims."My biological father was a bad person,and he went to prison for doing bad things."She said this trauma gave her empathy and courage to stand for others.Her Father has been incacerated for most of crystal life."My life,my childhood was anything but perfect.My mom and I are survivors of very dark memories of my childhood."Her mother is her strength and her hero her grandmother and her mother poured love into crytal soul creating the complete feller that us meet today.Anthony initially wanted to go into law and become a voice for the disenfranchised. Then she thought about starting her own nonprofit. This all changed on a mission trip to Mexico City when she witnessed a line of customers waiting to pick up girls being sold for sex.

Sources:

Source 1: https://news.usc.edu/83100/alumna-turns-childhood-trauma-into-activism/

Source 2:
https://www.crystaljanthony.com/

Source 3:
http://sduyager.com/

Maria Amezcua-Ramirez

2022-09-20 19:16:39 UTC

Kim Seong-Min was born in 1962, in Changang Province, North Korea. Kim Seong-Min had escaped to china in 1997 by jumping off a moving train transporting him to Pyongyang and he arrived to Seoul, South Korea in 1999. On his second attempt, Kim found salvation in South Korea. He was sentenced to death in 1997. Police found him trying to commit suicide by hanging in the bathroom. Kim Seong-Min fell comatose after attempted suicide on June 24, he was declared brain-dead on June 26. Found unconscious after suicide attempt followed by a fight on Friday with his wife.

Source 1
www.bushcenter.org
Source 2
www.freedomcollection.org

natalia mendoza

2022-09-20 19:17:19 UTC

Sari Kaufman was 15 years old when there was a school shooter that came inside her school."On February 14,2018 17 people died at stone man Douglas high school" Sari Kaufman said.Sari Kaufman went though so much trauma in her life she had to witness parents bury their kids, she had to go to more funerals in one week all because of a school shooting.Sari wanted to make a change she wanted to make sure that kids should be able to go to school without having to worry if they are going to die and to make sure that there wont be another shooting happening at a different school.Sari said " this horrible tragedy should have been prevented by the adults who have been voted into power".In the year of 2018, 71 people were killed of injured
source 1: teenvogue.com

source 2: www.sun-sentinel.com

source 3: https://sanford.duke.edu

Victor E

2022-09-20 19:19:40 UTC

Tran Minh Nhat was born in Vietnam he is a Vietnamese journalist and a human rights activist. Many people didn't like what he was doing especisally law enforcement and the Vietnamese government. On August 27, 2011 he was arressted by the Vietnamese government and charged him with "carrying out activites aimed at overthrowing the people's administration" under article 79 of Vietnam's Criminal Code due to his writings in favor of free speech and a pluralist political system in Vietnam. He was later found guilty and was sentenced 4 years in prison follwing with 3 years of probabtion. After Tran Minh was realesed he was greatly harrassed by police constantly, he was accused with communication with a Redemptorist priest and using money to carry out insubordinate activites against the state, strangers broke into his house/property and damage his family's home, and Tran Minh was attacked by police inside and outside his house. He was treated like this for trying to give freedom of speech.

sources:
https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/case-history-tran-minh-nhat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tran_Minh_Nhat
https://www.englishpen.org/posts/news/vietnam-tran-minh-nhat-faces-ongoing-harassment/

Alyssa Silva

2022-09-20 19:19:54 UTC

Sari Kaufman knows what it is like to deal with the difficult trauma of a school shooting. Going to Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in parkland Florida, Sari had to witness people being brutally killed by a gunman who open fire and killed a majority of her fellow classmates. In the artical Sari Kaufman by the the isps.yale.edu it states, "After experiencing the shooting, Sari became a voter education and gun violence prevention activist." Even years after the shooting she witnessed as a sophmore in high school she is still impacted by it heavily. This is why in the artical Parkland Survivor, Sandy Hook Parent on Texas School Shooting it informs, "Four years later, she says she continues to relive her trauma through the growing number of others like her who are personally affected by gun violence." This is one of the reasons that Sari Kaufman is so passionate about gun violence prevention. Being passionate about gun violence prevention drives Sari to take action about it. An example of this is shown in the artical Sari Kaufman by dillerteenawards.org where it states, "A survivor of the Parkland, FL shooting, Sari knew firsthand the importance of informed political engagement. She co-founded the civic education organization and website MyVote Project to increase voter education and political accountability nationwide." In all, Sari Kaufman continues to push past her trauma by speaking out and helping others who can relate to her.

3 sources:
1. https://isps.yale.edu/team/sari-kaufman
2.https://abcnews.go.com/US/parkland-survivor-sandy-hook-parent-weigh-texas-school/story?id=84972223
3.https://www.dillerteenawards.org/recipient/sari-kaufman/

Joel Gates

2022-09-20 19:20:31 UTC

David Hogg is an American gun control Activist. He was born in Los Angeles, Ca on April 12, 2000. On February 14, 2018, David Hogg was a senior student attending Stoneman Douglas High School when he heard what sounded like popping noises. He quickly realized that it was gun shots by a semi-automatic rifle. A 19 year old former student had come to the and killed 17 students and teachers. David Hogg communicated with his sister, Lauren Hogg, via texting. They both safely got out and reunited later that day. David Hogg has now written a book about his trauma named #NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line. He wrote this book with his sister. He was also a leader in the 2018 United States gun violence protests. He was on the Dr. Phil show to discuss the shooting. He has also spoken about his past during speeches and wants guns to be controlled.

Source #1: AMP.theguardian.com
Source #2: WWW.APBspeakers.com
Source #3: m.washingtontimes.com

jesus vazquez

2047326 — 2022-09-20 19:20:42 UTC

lionel- is a central aferican soldier that survived and is helping other people survive the terroriste attack. lionel was 11 yeasrs old and was living in damara, it was 2013 when a group of amarmed people attacked damara. lionels family was gunned down and shortly killed right after. unfortenly lionel was tramatized and scared and didnt kknow what to do so he went to hide , and thouught. Later on he join the group of attackers, he didnt join to kill or any violence, he joined to survive. after they let him go, he went to go live with her aunt, and started thinking on how he could help the people in need. futhermore, lionel started a peace club where he goes and helps people out in war to survive and to teach them about peace.

2 sources
https://www.worldvision.ca/stories/child-protection/child-soldier-lionels-story

Alexya Salvador

2022-09-21 17:49:02 UTC

Alexya Salvador is a women's, trans, and homosexual rights activist, born November 18th, 1980 in Mairipora Brazil. She was raised Sao Paulo. she started working as a school teacher in 2004, married her husband in 2010 as a gay man, then later came out as trans in 2015. her husbands still stayed ans supported her as much as he could and they are still happily married. That same year she got married she became the vice president of the association of homotransitive effective. Sometime after she became the first female trans pastor and after some time quite. she still highly believes in God and Jesus, however she feels she cannot participate and will not participate in a religion that constantly pushes down those where are seen as 'unnatural' and 'disgusting'. Now she lives as a public speaker and a Homosexual trans rights activist. she believes LGBTQ+ people are highly needed in political stances as too help protect those who cannot protect themselves from the government. Her whole purpose is to up bring the LGBTQ+ and to carve a path for queer youth, as well as try and help normalize it as it is the 21st century. With the support of Brazilian government, they have made it a crime to be homophobic, however when have laws stopped hateful people.

sources:

https://sur.conectas.org/en/alexya-salvador-it-is-against-this-god-who-kills-that-we-are-fighting-and-resisting/

https://www.them.us/story/brazils-first-trans-pastor-alexya-salvador

https://lavenderliescom.wordpress.com/2020/11/28/spotlight-alexya-salvador/

yudith garcia

2022-09-21 17:49:05 UTC

Dylan Tyler Smith born on May 28,1998 broncos hockey player had a life changing moment on April 6,2018.Smith suffered from a semi truck accident while him and 27 of his team mates where hit by the semi truck while they where all in a bus.He says that moment changed his life although he doesn't remember a thing from that day.From 12 survivors and 16 lost team mates only 3 returned to the team last season.Tyler smith also had nine total body injuries with a broken collarbone,shoulder blade,and his left arm nerve.Now smith has raised over $2,500 so far on a men health charity.

Vincent Barela

2022-09-21 18:23:09 UTC

Lee Hyeonseo was born January 1980

North Korea defector and activist who lives in Seoul. She serceltry fled North Korea when she was 17 across the boader.she went into hiding with her relatives in China before making her way to South Korea, and she spent a decade in hiding and living under false names. Later she goes back to guide her famliy out. Hyeonseo became one of thousands of defectors to try to escape across the border to China – a dangerous journey that risks being sent to one of North Korea’s infamous prison camps or even death.

She hopes “My greatest hope for this is of course, the unification between two countries.

2022-09-22 19:17:27 UTC

Ashely easter was born in 1981 in Fairborn Ohio, She advocates abuse victoms after escaping the cult she was born into after twenty-two years. She went through years of therapy and coaching, She teaches other cultists how to adjust in society and live there life. The main thing i learned from researching about Ashley was that there are alot more people recovering from the abuse the cults brought apon them than i also thought its alot easier to be manipulated and controlled than you think.

my sources
https://www.ashleyeaster.com/storyhttps://

natesparks130.com/2016/04/16/1990/

https://eewc.com/an-interview-with-ashley-easter/