On the morning of September 27, 2006, at Platte Canyon High School in the small town of Bailey, Colorado, everything was going as usual. Taylor Fraser, then 15-years-old and a sophomore, went to school, passed her mother at the front desk, and walked to class just like every other morning before that day.

No one could ever have guessed that later that afternoon, 53-year-old Duane Roger Morrison would take seven female students hostage, kill one of them and then himself, and forever change the small town of Bailey, Colorado.

As we reflect on the tragic experiences in our lives, we often find that there is the version of us before something extraordinary happens and then the version of us after.

Taylor Fraser joins us on this episode to talk about how she’s healing, her thoughts on gun laws, why it’s essential we share our stories, and what inspired her to write and direct ‘Foreward,’ - an audio drama podcast that chronicles one family’s journey after surviving the tragedy of a school shooting.

Goodies from this Episode:

Listen to Taylor's podcast, "Foreward”, an audio drama podcast that chronicles one family’s story after the tragedy of a school shooting at https://www.forewardpodcast.com

Support “Foreward” at https://www.forewardpodcast.com/support

Connect with Taylor at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-leigh-fraser-44a83251

Looking for mental health resources and support? Check out our Help page at https://www.illgofirst.com/find-help

Listen to more episodes at https://www.illgofirst.com/stories

In crisis? Text "GO FIRST" to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 for free.

Have a suggestion? Don't be shy! We'd love to hear from you! Say "Hi" at hello@illgofirst.com

Abuse within faith communities is something we hear from our community about a lot. In particular, how abuse and sexual assault in faith communities complicate recovery because our spiritual life becomes tied to the most intimate and terrifying experience of our lives. Where can we find sanctuary following compounded abuse?

This episode is a panel discussion on Abuse of Power: How the Church Can Respond.

Joining us is:

• Annette Cutino, Director, LEAD.NYC
• Boz Tchividjian, Attorney & Founder of GRACE
• Diane Langberg, Ph.D., Psychologist and Author
• Drew Hyun, Founder, Hope Church NYC
• Jay Stringer, Psychotherapist, and Author
• Faith Huckel Motter, Co-Founder, Restore NYC

We covered:

• Abuse of power in faith communities
• How abuse often hides in plain sight
• How to equip faith leaders to address their power and sexual story
• Practical steps faith communities can take to protect those they serve

We hope you are encouraged by this conversation, and remember, you are not alone.

Goodies from this Episode:

Listen and share survivor stories - Believing victims of abuse is just the beginning. Here are more ways you can support and empower them:

• Register for Restore NYC's Trafficking 101 webinar to learn what is trafficking and what isn't

Be accountable - We can't do this alone. Here are some community and legal resources:

• Boz Tchividjian:
  • Learn about GRACE's services and resources for your church community
• Drew Hyun:
  • Join NYC Pastors Meetup by contacting Drew at drew@hopechurchnyc.org
• Annette Cutino:
  • Connect with Annette for Executive and Team Coaching at www.annettecutino.com
• Jay Stringer:
  • Learn about addressing sexual brokenness and find support resources at www.jaystringer.com

In crisis? Text "GO FIRST" to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 for free.

Have a suggestion? Don't be shy! We'd love to hear from you! Say "Hi" at hello@illgofirst.com

In this episode, we are joined by one of our good friends and fellow entrepreneur, Nikki Innocent. Nikki is a 2-time TEDx speaker, certified women's leadership coach, diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) strategist, and the host of "Checkbox Other". Nikki shares with us how she's learned to trust herself enough to take the leap from her corporate career to becoming an entrepreneur. We also talk about the challenges of growing up as a second-generation biracial kid in a home with alcoholism, embracing our other-ness, and learning how to forgive our loved ones, especially when we have to complicated relationships with them. She is so full of joy it is absolutely contagious, and we think you're really going to fall in love with her and her story.

Goodies from this Episode:

Unlock your full potential and build a life you love through Nikki’s program “Unlock Your Passion” and online community. Learn more at www.nikkiinnocent.com

Listen to Nikki's podcast, "Checkbox Other" at https://www.nikkiinnocent.com/podcast/

Follow Nikki's journey at https://www.instagram.com/nikkiinnocent/

Connect with Nikki at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleinnocent/

Looking for mental health resources and support? Check out our Help page at https://www.illgofirst.com/find-help

Listen to more episodes at https://www.illgofirst.com/stories

In crisis? Text "GO FIRST" to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 for free.

Have a suggestion? Don't be shy! We'd love to hear from you! Say "Hi" at hello@illgofirst.com