On this episode of Badass, Jennifer Crossley shares the story of losing her 23 year old brother, Leroy, to gun violence when Jennifer was just 20. We explore the impact this had on Jennifer’s family, and also how it has spurred Jennifer to speak out for gun control on behalf of families like hers. We also discuss the harmful racial dynamics in the gun debate, and how those dynamics continue to affect black and brown communities.
In this episode we turn the tables on Marabai. Laura Gordon interviews her about her new book, Holding Hope: One Family’s Odyssey through Lyme Disease and Psychosis. Marabai shares excerpts from the book, and shares with Laura what living through a life changing illness, and her husband’s psychosis was like.
In this episode of Badass we return to April Hennessy's story of surviving her time at a Christian "reform" program, and her challenging childhood. April tells us about the vulnerable and liberating period of her life when she walked away from a culture that had been so harmful to her, yet had to brave being totally alone in the world to do so. We explore the idea of found family, and the beautiful relationship between two young women that put April on her path toward healing. We also explore the tendrils of shame that reach deep within us, and touch so many of our experiences when we have endured trauma. April's honest discussion of the reverberations of trauma is deeply moving. If you listen to this and would like to start or join a conversation, check out our FB page @badassbloomington. I would love to start building community around these stories.
On this episode of Badass, April Hennessy shares her experience of being sent to Camp Tracey, in Jacksonville, Florida, at age 15. After April began running away from home to escape abuse, she was labeled a “troubled teen”, and ultimately forced to go to a Christian based residential program to “reform” her. The program was actually a forced labor camp, where teens worked 12 hour days doing grueling agricultural labor, and violent corporal punishment was levied for the smallest of infractions. April spent 16 months there, until she was finally released.
On this episode of Badass, Kate McQueen shares the story of her son's Keenan’s birth, and the terrifying period of time shortly after, when Keenan hovered between life and death on several occasions. His tiny body was wracked with seizures that were damaging his brain, and at first Kate struggled to get help for him, all the while knowing something was terribly wrong. Finally, Kate was able to get a Dr.’s attention, and at that point it became clear that baby Keenan’s life was in danger.
On this episode of Badass, Anna Miller is allowing us into a very difficult period of her life. At 14 Anna was raped by her boyfriend, who was 16 at the time. It was an experience that derailed her for three years. She withdrew into herself, and tried to make sense of what had happened to her. Just after emerging from that experience, and finding herself again, Anna was raped by a stranger in a parking lot at knife point. This second experience plunged Anna into PTSD and terror. She had to grapple with that terror every day for years as she healed her spirit, and her body.