“Writing about it spreads awareness, offering hope and options to others. It helps me navigate raw sorrow, transforming pain into something inspiring — every word becomes a lifeline for those who are going through a similar journey.”

“I thought it was going to be hard to write this, to rehash the past. The truth is, it was nice to put myself back in my life from before. To think of the good instead of the heartbreaking. Though, writing about the heartbreaking was also quite cathartic. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story and to honor Amarah’s memory, I hope you can understand how amazing this girl was through my words. Though nothing I say will ever do her justice.”

“While writing this I realized that I hadn’t really processed what happened to me during this time. Writing down my experience made me realize that I really wasn’t okay with what happened, that I was ignoring the trauma. I showed the reflection essay to my parents, and they were shocked that this was how I interpreted my experience, because I never communicated my words or feelings to them about it. I am glad I wrote this essay because it gave me a platform to comprehend the traumatic experience.”