New Shine
Same Sparkle

I worked with the Breaking Code Silence movement to organize a peaceful gathering at Provo Canyon School, the school I attended for 11 months. Hundreds of others who had similar experiences of abuse joined us. We stood in solidarity together as a community of survivors and on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of youth currently in residential care. It was my first time back there since I left the school and I felt like I had started to deliver on the promise I made to myself to ensure youth in these facilities are safe.

Breaking Code Silence joins forces with the International Coalition against Restraint and Seclusion and the Alliance Against Restraint and Seclusion, organizations that advocate for the elimination of restraint and seclusion on youth.

Breaking Code Silence leaked an audio recording of an internal National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) meeting that detailed them recommending programs to skirt Disability Law Center record requests for investigative and protection purposes.

Breaking Code Silence and I are one of three organizations participating in the 2020 Rise Justice Labs, the world's first civil rights accelerator founded by 2019 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Amanda Nguyen.

I launched the first platform to allow fellow survivors of institutional abuse to share their stories. They must be heard.

The American Bar Association hosts a live webinar to facilitate legislators and legal experts to explore the legal issues surrounding the “troubled teen industry” and I was invited as a guest speaker.

Utah Senate member Mike McKell introduces legislation in Utah. Sen. McKell contacted me immediately after the Provo gathering last October. He told me he wanted to reform the Troubled Teen Industry due to the clear lack of oversight and accountability on behalf of these programs. At the same time, State Senator Sara Gelser introduces legislation in Oregon and Missouri State Representative Keri Ingle leads legislation to license religious programs in the state.

I testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of Senator Mike McKell’s Bill 127 that increases program inspections, restricts cruel and unusual punishment such as seclusion and restraint, ensures unmonitored communication with family, and more. After hearing from myself, Caroline Lorson, and Jeff Netto, the Committee unanimously voted to pass this landmark piece of legislation in Utah.