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.
Our Guest
April grew up with a career military father, which meant she was always on the move. She attended 13 different schools and lived in 11 states, and two countries. Bloomington, Indiana is now her home. She moved here in 2007 for grad school and never left.
She says about Bloomington, “It’s a strange thing to be rooted, to be the one who stays while so many others come and go”. She lives with her wife, Stacie, their three kids, two cats, and two rabbits. But, her family also includes Stacey and April’s ex-wives, and all of their collective children. About her family, she says, “it’s a really powerful experience to know that our children can move across households and find consistency and love no matter where they go.”
April works in corporate learning and development as the Director of Innovation for a leadership development organization. A job that she loves. She also serves in two elected positions, first as a School Board Trustee for MCCSC, and also as a precinct committee chairperson. She says, “I love this community and try to find ways to invest and give back in as many capacities as possible”.
