OUR BEGINNINGS

THE FOUNDER

My name is Charlotte, and I am a victim of gun violence. When I was fourteen years old, I was involved in an armed robbery. Although I have suffered from the lasting effects of my encounter, I know open discussion can inspire others and change the future.

WHY WAS STUDENT SURVIVOR STORIES CREATED?

I created Student Survivor Stories to create an honest platform for people with stories like mine.

After my encounter, I struggled to find people who understood my experiences. I often felt my story was met with a sense of pity as opposed to a sense of understanding.

Although I still struggle to talk about my attack, I have found that reading the stories shared by other victims of gun violence is extremely healing.

In essence, that is what I am aiming to do. I am aiming to help heal people like me.

WHEN WAS STUDENT SURVIVOR STORIES CREATED?

Student Survivor Stories was created as a resource in March of 2024.

Although I had been wanting to create change with my experience for years, I wasn't quite sure where to start.

One day in my Chemistry classroom, it finally dawned on me: the greatest change cannot begin until one is fully healed.

This though inspired me to create a platform solely geared towards sharing stories. I wanted to create a resource available to all students similar to me.

Hence, Student Survivor Stories was born.