April 5, 2024

In reflecting on my journey of accountability over the past years, I’ve come to deeply resonate with adrienne maree brown’s poignant observations, in her book We Will Not Cancel Us:

Social justice movements, which were originally about freeing marginalized people from oppressive institutions and social structures, have become imbued with their own narrow framework of morality. What I fear is mostly that we will be unable to stop turning against each other, that under the pressures of change and of having difference, that we will emulate the practices that capitalism and patriarchy and white supremacy and other kinds of supremacy have trained us to practice, which is to turn against each other, to tear each other down, to publicly shame and humiliate each other. I fear that we will keep doing that until we can’t trust our belonging in any space. And I think belonging is something we need to feel as a species in order to have a reason to continue to feel compelled, to continue.

Brown’s words underscore a critical aspect of social justice movements—that in our pursuit of liberation, we must remain vigilant against replicating the very structures of oppression we seek to dismantle. Despite our understanding of cycles of abuse within families and their long-term effects, as activists, we often fail to grasp their implications for social change efforts. Liberation movements frequently stall when trauma-driven individuals target those within the movement, perpetuating a cycle of abuse.

Central to this reflection is the recognition that accountability processes can sometimes morph into campaigns that, despite intentions, perpetuate harm in their own right. Brown reminds us of the importance of fostering genuine connection and understanding, even in moments of conflict and trauma. Rather than weaponizing our pain against one another, we can choose to recognize it as a shared vulnerability—a common thread that binds us as humans. Through this lens, the anger and hurt we experience can serve as bridges for dialogue and growth, rather than barriers to connection.

Moving forward, I urge us all to reevaluate our approaches to social justice advocacy. Let us embrace a paradigm of support, compassion, and collaboration—one where differences are celebrated as opportunities for collective growth, rather than sources of division.

I invite each of us to envision and embody the world we aspire to create—one rooted in empathy, equity, and mutual respect. It is through our collective actions that we can truly manifest the change we wish to see.

Career Transition Announcement:
Trauma-Informed Social Justice Advocacy

April 2022

Below, you will find my original accountability statements, crafted in response to accusations leveled against me. They haven’t been recently reviewed and may not fully reflect current perspective. I firmly believe in the power of constructive discourse to enact positive change, and it saddens me to see that the initial allegations continue to circulate online without acknowledgement and recognition of these efforts to engage in dialogue and accountability. For social justice to progress, we need to move beyond facile criticism and into respectful dialogue.

Speaking My Truth and Advocating for Change in Social Justice Communities Open Letter to the Association for Size Diversity and Health

April 1, 2023

Thank you, ASDAH, for your previous support. I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish together. I’ve compiled a blog called “History Reclaimed: The [Missing] HAES Files” to retain that history and support the movement.

History Reclaimed: The [Missing] HAES Files