Inspirations for

Cyberheroes

∞

The Power of You: Inspirations for Cyberheroes

"In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it."

Marianne Williamson

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Photograph by Bethany Wichman Buescher

“You have no idea of the effect your acknowledgement of my situation means. I feel like a giant ball of anxiety has already been lifted out of me.”

Everyone around me is breaking, but the sun is shining. It smells like summer which always makes me sick.

You are hurting, I can see it.

Tangible and red and purple, the colors you were wearing when the mysterious He began to tear you, limb from limb. When he raped you. He, the amorphous male who doesn't know, and I wonder: who are all of these rapists?

But that would take away from the point, which is you. My friend. And

maybe pain really is relative, but I can still quite confidentlysay I’d like to scream at the next one who is losing their mind over minutia and I blamed myself for all things big and small, but you are still living, breathing, holding your self together even in the midst of trauma and devastation.

People ask, time and again, how I can fill my days with such heartbreak, how do I not lose hope? This trauma that I can see through a screen shows me both the inner-workings of brilliant and terrified minds, and also the great capacity for audacity, tenacity and necessity to live and love despite the violent acts of others.

Each time they ask, I press my palm to my heart and I point to you.

-OHL Volunteer

“Thank you for the validation, I

needed it. Some days I just feel

turned around. Glad I reached

out this time.”

Some days I just feel turned

around.

Glad I reached out this time.”

I needed it.

Some days I just feel turned

around.

Glad I reached out this time.”

Photograph by Jessica Nesbitt, OHL Volunteer

"Thank you for listening. It's nice to know that

there are people that are always available and

understanding---as something like this can be

very isolating, where you feel like no one

understands. You've helped me just by

listening."

“Thank you for your help. What you

do for people is invaluable, and I hope

you know that.”

“Thank you so much!

You gave me the push

to go check out

a rape crisis center.”

Be Free by Laura Barnett, OHL Volunteer

“Act as if what you do

makes a difference.

It does.”

William James

“This service really changes lives

and turns victims into survivors.

Thanks!”

"I love RAINN,

and I really appreciate

everything that you do there.

You don't know how

much you've helped me."

“I didn't know if anything could

help, but you did.”

“The ultimate expression of

generosity is not in giving

of what you have, but in

giving of who you are.”

Johnnetta B. Cole

Photograph by Jessica Nesbitt, OHL Volunteer

They kept saying things like, "I feel really comfortable

talking to you---I could talk to you about anything", and

"You really care and you're attentive and concerned about

everything" which made me feel really good!”

-OHL Volunteer

Special thanks to

“Thanks. I feel like

you, and RAINN as

a whole, really

understand the

people who connect

with you.”

Special thanks to the following contributors:

Jessica Nesbitt

Laura Barnett

Priyanka Gogia

Created by Jessica Nesbitt