You may be wondering how a small-town girl from
Colorado ended up in, of all places, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Believe me, I have tried to
answer this question countless times over the last year and I guess the only
explanation that makes any sense is, well, life. Life brought me here just like
it took me to Prague 5 years ago and Greece after that and Vegas after that. Life
has had a way of moving me in all kinds of different directions since leaving
Colorado 12 years ago. I think I’ve always been somewhat of a gipsy… not in the
untrustworthy, going-to-steal-your-stuff kind of way, but in the
I-have-no-idea-where-I-belong-so-I’ll-just-keep-moving sort of way. Lucky for
me the nomadic lifestyle of bartending and waiting tables allowed me the
opportunities to follow those crazy whims as they arose.
After relocating back to the States after almost
2 years in Europe, I found myself in the middle of the desert in Las Vegas
wondering what could possibly be next. I stumbled on a part-time job with the
Rape Crisis Center teaching a sexual assault prevention program. From the moment
I took that job, I knew that advocacy and teaching would be a big part of my
life. I volunteered with RCC and the police department as an advocate for
sexual assault and rape for nearly 2 years. It was one of the most rewarding
things I’ve ever done and I miss it dearly. My experience with RCC led me to a
different agency in Las Vegas where I developed and taught a violence
prevention program to students with disabilities. It was an incredible
organization and I learned a lot about my teaching style and intrinsic desire
to help people.
Somewhere in there I met my best friend and
closest ally, Jeff. Our relationship grew and grew until we realized that we
were both destined for something bigger and better than Las Vegas could offer.
*Us*
One of my first classes with FACT
Advocacy
Getting my family involved:)
