Oprah Winfrey,
It is your integrity, resilience, and zeal for creating a change that has bridged the gap between those who have been victimized and those who have not yet had the opportunity to come to understand the disturbing reality and weight of the shame and guilt that victims harbor. Thank you for your willingness to have partaken in this ongoing venture to dissect the stereotypes that have been detrimental to the stigmatization sexual assault. Thank you for teaching us that recovery is possible, and for breaking down the barriers that have prevented us from coming forth and reaching out for help. Thank you for teaching us not to feel resentment or malice, but to have the patience to forgive and spread love, even to those who have doubted us. Thank you for teaching us that courage is not about being fearless, but it is about having the endurance to persevere despite the fear.
Above all, thank you for believing in us, even in the moments when we have not yet found the resolve to believe in ourselves. We have come so far, and it is the resolve that you have found within yourself that will continue to tear down these walls, rewrite this narrative, and inspire others to walk in their truth.
Thank you,
The Teen Advocacy Council
