Sandy Chilson

Hi, I’m Sandy! I’m a high school math and science teacher and a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, class of 2020, where I studied astrophysics and music performance. My drive for co-founding Survivors was primarily my own experience with sexual violence as a teenager. I wanted to be able to provide the resources and support to young survivors that I didn’t have when I needed it most. I want to give survivors a place to speak freely about their own experiences without fear of repercussions, and more importantly, give them a place to heal and feel powerful. Outside of Survivors, in my spare time, I like to play video games, hike, and drink coffee. treasurer@survivorstosuperheroes.org

I’m Movin’ Out!

Sandy Chilson March 28, 2023 0 Comments

How moving away from my hometown has helped my healing process Returning to my hometown as a survivor has been difficult. It’s where my trauma happened. It’s not just one place that triggers bad memories; it’s also my high school, the Starbucks in the center of town, the side of town where my assailant lived, the soccer fields, my own house. The uncertainty of his presence whenever I...

A Harrowing Portrait of Institutional Abuse

Sandy Chilson September 28, 2020 0 Comments

Gymnastics is a sport notorious for its difficulty. Watching people flying through the air with grace and sticking a landing with poise fills the viewer with a sense of awe, and the amount of effort, training, and discipline required to compete in gymnastics is clear to see. Gymnastics requires more than just physical effort, though. It requires dedication to several practices per day, weight...

Catcalling: Sexual Violence on the Street

Sandy Chilson January 24, 2020 0 Comments

Catcalling: What is it? We hear this word thrown around all of the time. When we see it depicted on TV, it’s usually a bunch of rowdy construction working standing around whistling and calling out obscenities to a beautiful woman in a short skirt. While that is DEFINITELY catcalling, it is an extreme case. Catcalls don’t have to be overtly crude or sexual, sometimes it is as simple as...

Finding the Survivor in Me

Sandy Chilson November 30, 2019 0 Comments

Survivors to Superheroes has been a part of my life since Julia Tortorello-Allen came into it. I didn’t know it at the time, but my coworker, section leader, and best friend changed my life forever when she came to me and told me about her idea for Survivors. At 17 years old, I was drowning in the fallout of being a victim of abuse, trying to juggle my physics homework and my PTSD. I...