The True Story Behind My Journey: Stronger in Every Season

In 2005, I began this magazine journey saying it was to bring women together, to create a space where voices could be uplifted and stories shared. I envisioned starting with 50 or 100 women, but if I’m honest, that wasn’t the full story. The truth? I was broken, trying to navigate through the trauma of my own past.

As a child, I endured the pain and confusion of sexual abuse. I was bullied, taunted by teenagers, and felt utterly lost. From ages 4 to 11, I didn’t know what it meant to truly have an identity. I became invisible—existing, but not fully living. I was just a small girl blending into the background, learning to hide, to silence my own voice because I believed it didn’t matter.

It took me years to realize that none of it was my fault. But by 2005, I still hadn’t processed it all. I threw myself into the magazine because it gave me purpose—a reason to keep going. Little did I know, it would become a lifeline, a way not only to heal myself but also to reach others who felt unseen and unheard.

This journey has been about so much more than creating a magazine. It’s been about reclaiming my identity—one word, one page, one story at a time. For years, I struggled to make sense of what happened to me, to understand how trauma had shaped me and how I could finally free myself from its weight.

It wasn’t easy. There were times when the darkness of what I’d been through threatened to overwhelm me. But building a platform for other women to share their struggles, triumphs, and transformations has been my own form of therapy. It helped me connect with others, find strength in our shared pain, and give a voice to that little girl who felt invisible for so long.

Looking back, I see that this magazine was more than just a project or dream. It was a journey to find myself, to make peace with my past, and to create a space where no woman ever has to feel as invisible as I once did. This is a place of healing, a community of courage, and a testament to the power of reclaiming your voice.

If you’re struggling with your own journey, know this: You are not alone. Healing is possible, and your voice matters. Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel otherwise. It took me years to embrace this truth, but now that I have, I’m committed to helping others see it too. Because that’s what Hope is really about—rediscovering the strength we didn’t know we had and using it to change the world, one story at a time.