A Love Letter to My Fellow Warriors: You Are Loved!

My Fellow Warriors,

As we step into another April, marking Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), we find ourselves once again under a presidency that has previously challenged our strides toward justice and understanding. During these uncertain times, I want to reach out with a message of solidarity, love, and unyielding hope.

This year, I write to you not as the founder of Know Means No or as Rayne Meshelle but as Michelle, a warrior of sexual violence, just like each of you. While our stories may differ, our journeys, marked by both pain and resilience, have shaped us into the beacons of strength we are today—even in the face of political climates that may seem to dim our lights.

You Are Not Alone

The path toward healing from sexual assault can feel lonely. Trust me, I’ve walked it, I’ve lived it. It is a path that is often long, winding, and marked by the heavy burdens of guilt, shame, and blame—emotions that can isolate us even when surrounded by others. Yet, despite these deep valleys, remember this: We walk this path together. Even when it feels like it, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Each story, including yours and mine, weaves into a larger tapestry of shared courage and collective perseverance. Our experiences, as harrowing as they may be, are threads of strength and survival. Together, these threads form a fabric that is unyielding and resilient. No president, no administration, can tear this fabric apart. WE ARE WARRIORS!

There Is Hope

Hope is not a gift granted by those in power; it is a light we kindle in each other, a flame nurtured through our collective spirit and compassion. It burns brightly in every act of kindness we share, glowing in the words of comfort we speak to one another. It illuminates our paths with every story of courage we tell, each one a beacon for those who feel lost in their own darkness. And it warms the hands we extend to those still finding their way, guiding them towards a community where they are understood, supported, and never alone.

This month, as we observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month, let us ignite this hope with even greater fervor. Let’s amplify it in our actions and words, reminding each other of the immense power that resides in our unity and in our shared voices. Together, we can make this hope a radiant force, one that lights up even the darkest corners of doubt and fear, and shows every survivor that they are part of something larger—a community bound by resilience and a relentless pursuit of healing and justice.

A Covenant: Answering the Call to Serve

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here I am. Send me!” - Isaiah 6:8

Grounded in this message, I re-affirm my dedication to being there for my sisters and brothers in this journey. It is a message that guides me and solidifies my role as a keeper and advocate for those healing from sexual assault.

It is my vow to continue to be a safe space and a source of support and empowerment for all of those who walk this path. This commitment is my personal pledge to uplift, to provide solace, and to foster strength within our community. Together, we will transform our trials into triumphs and our pain into power.

A Call to Rally

I call on you to join me, not in fear but in faith. Faith in our ability to overcome, to heal, and to enact change. Engage with your community, share your journey, support fellow warriors, and never underestimate the impact of your strength. Together, we can transform our pain into a guiding light for others who feel lost.

Closing With Love

More than ever, our lights are needed to illuminate the darkness; to be conduits of compassion. With every story of despair, let us respond with a narrative of hope and resilience. We are not defined by our trauma, nor are we constrained by the current political landscape. We are defined by our enduring spirit and our unbreakable resolve. So, to each of you, my fellow warriors, remember this: You are seen, you are valued, you are loved, and you are more than a conqueror.

With all my love and solidarity.