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 fell out of contact with Julia during my initial recovery. I watched her grow her family and bravely talk about being a survivor on Facebook for a few years. She was a survivor and there I was stuck feeling like a victim. The further away I got from being 16 years old, the more that I realized that my 16 year old self needed that brave, outspoken survivor. The more I realized that I needed to be that person that I needed so desperately back then. I called Julia, remembering her invitation to help make Survivors a reality, and told her “I’m ready when you are.” We went back to the Starbucks we used to sneak off to during our reception shifts at our music school and we began our journey to building the support system that we needed when we were 16.
My personal mission with Survivors is first and foremost to help young survivors of sexual violence in understanding what happened to them and to aid and guide them in their recovery process. I want them to have resources geared towards them. No big words, no legal jargon, nothing strictly 18+, but advice and guidance that is meant for them specifically. Far too many of the discussions and resources concerning sexual violence are intended for those of legal age, despite the fact that teens make up a large portion of survivors. I want Survivors to be a safe place for people of all ages. Getting help shouldn’t have an age requirement.
When I was a teenager, I never told anybody what was happening to me. I was afraid to tell any adults because I wasn’t supposed to be sexually active in the first place. There was a stigma, sex was taboo, and I didn’t want to cause a scene. I didn’t even know what to do if I wanted to speak up or ask for help. I helped found Survivors to Superheroes because I needed these resources when I was 16. I needed somewhere to share my story without fear of repercussions from my family, friends, or my abuser. I want people to be able to seek help, to speak out, and to never fear judgement for what they’ve experienced. Survivors is here to give them that voice, to give them that space to speak freely.
We are here because every survivor deserves to know that they truly are a Superhero.
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
