This is my space to show up as I am, unfiltered, unfinished, and honest.
I’m not sharing a perfectly wrapped story. I’m sharing moments as they come. The thoughts I’m still processing. The feelings I don’t always have words for, until I sit down and write them out.
Some days will be heavy. Some will be light. Most will live somewhere in between.
This is where I work through things in real time, grief, growth, questions, clarity, and everything that comes with simply being human.
You’ll see the highs and the lows. The days I feel strong, and the ones where I’m still searching for steady ground.
There’s no timeline here. No pressure to have it all figured out.
Just honesty.
If you find yourself in these words—if something here mirrors your own thoughts or emotions, then this space is doing what I hoped it would.
So take what you need.
Come back when you want.
This is my diary, but you’re welcome here, too.
Stay Blessed💕
From Statistic to Voice: My SAAM Story
What is Sexual Assault Awareness Month?
Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is a time dedicated to bringing attention to the prevention of sexual violence and educating individuals and communities on how to stop it. For over 25 years, SAAM has united survivors, advocates, and communities in a shared commitment to end sexual assault, abuse, and harassment.
(Source: NSVRC, 2026)
For 25 years, this movement has been built on something simple, yet powerful: ONE.
One person deciding that enough is enough.
One voice choosing not to stay silent anymore.
That “one” becomes many—people coming together through shared experiences, choosing to put a voice, a name, and a face to sexual violence—not just in the United States, but around the world.
Before we go further, let’s define what we’re talking about.
Sexual violence is an umbrella term used to describe any type of unwanted sexual contact. This includes, but is not limited to: sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
(Source: NSVRC, 2026)
If you’ll allow me, I want to step onto a bit of a soapbox.
Statistics often get a bad reputation. Ironically, statistics was my least favorite math class—until I took it a second time and it finally made sense. Growing up, it was important to me not to “become a statistic.” To me, that meant refusing to fall into what society labeled as negative outcomes.
But later in life, my perspective shifted.
If a statistic is simply one piece of a larger whole, then doesn’t that mean I have a say in what my “one” represents?
At 16 years old, I was sexually assaulted—and I became a statistic.
Most women and men, across all sexual identities, who experience contact sexual violence report that the person who harmed them was someone they knew (Chen et al., 2023).
(Source: NSVRC, 2026)
For the next twenty years, that experience weighed heavily on me. It lingered in spaces where I felt I might see him again. It tried to define parts of my existence.
But I held onto one truth: it was not my fault.
And because I know I am not the only survivor in this world, I made a decision—I would become a different kind of statistic.
One who stands with many.
One who speaks.
One who educates.
One who helps others heal.
Math may not be emotional—but it is factual.
And the facts are hard to ignore:
Over 53% of women and 29% of men have experienced contact sexual violence (Chen et al., 2023).
32.9% of adults with intellectual disabilities have experienced sexual violence (Tomsa et al., 2021).(Source: NSVRC, 2026)
These are not just numbers.
Say them out loud.
Because it’s easy to skim statistics—especially when they’re uncomfortable. But it’s much harder to ignore a voice.
What if it wasn’t just one voice?
What if it was five?
Fifty?
Five hundred?
That is how change happens.
So what can we do—starting today?
I stopped hiding.
My story matters.
And so does yours.
Together, we can create change—by speaking, by educating, and by standing in truth.
Download the fillable SAAM 2026 Proclamation form at the end of this article.
(Source: NSVRC, 2026)
Shanti MarieStay Blessed💕
Life Lessons, Clueless Style
Clueless (1995) is a secret favorite of mine. I was 11 when it came out, but as I got older, what once seemed silly or over-the-top revealed itself as surprisingly brilliant. That movie left me with more little “life lessons” than I realized—so here’s Lesson #1 in my own series of real-life Clueless moments.
Lesson #1: “Dee, when your allergies act up, take out your nose ring.”
I didn’t get my nose pierced until my 30s because I’ve always had wild allergies. Allergies trigger my asthma, which makes it hard to breathe through my nose or mouth. On a practical level, I knew a piercing might complicate things—but I still went for it.
Big mistake… at least when allergy season hits. Forget it. Nothing like a piece of metal making the tickles worse when you’re already sneezing nonstop. Trust me, sneezing with a nose ring is not the vibe.
Still, no regrets—I love my nose piercing and actually want another one someday. Allergies may be temporary, but a little sparkle? Totally worth it!
Lesson #2: “As if!” — Is it still used today? LOL
Wifey and I were outside, sitting on the porch, watching the rain and enjoying each other’s company. One of those simple, peaceful moments you don’t rush.
But hunger was setting in, and I had a business meeting coming up, so I wanted us to have enough time to make dinner. I got up, went inside, brought my drink in, then came back out to grab a few more things.
She had the nerve to tell me to go ahead and start on the food.
I looked at her, smiled, winked, and said, “As if.” Then I turned and walked right back into the house.
Some phrases never go out of style—they just evolve with you.
