Trauma is not only a wound it is also a superpower (ICMGLT Repairer Awards Dinner)

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of cultivating a meaningful relationship with the International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT)  a collaboration that has deepened my understanding of how intergenerational trauma connects to the cycles of poverty and exploitation we work to end through Empowerment Collective. Together, we’ve explored how healing and justice must go hand in hand if we are to truly break the systemic chains of modern slavery.

Through an awards dinner recognizing our reparative work, and a collaborative webinar co-hosted with ICMGLT, I’ve had the joy of meeting so many compassionate and visionary changemakers — including fellow recipients of the 2025 Repairer Awards and an inspiring group of expert panelists who shared their wisdom and lived experience. Each conversation reminded me that healing is not an individual act; it’s a collective journey toward dignity and renewal.

I was deeply honored that Empowerment Collective was named one of the two 2025 recipients of the Repairer Leadership Award. ICMGLT presented this award to us “for uniting survivor voices, businesses, civil society, and governments to bring an end to modern slavery’s faceless casualties of oblivious incessant consumption.”

On May 14th, I attended the awards ceremony dinner in New York City to accept this incredible honor. In my acceptance speech, I spoke about the importance of allowing survivors to lead the path toward collective healing. I shared a truth that has shaped my own journey: “Trauma is not only a wound — it is also a superpower.”

This recognition is not just a milestone for Empowerment Collective; it is a reminder that every act of repair, every story shared, and every table of peace we build together brings us closer to a world where pain transforms into purpose, and where freedom and healing belong to us all.

Watch the full awards dinner: https://icmglt.org/therepairerawards/

https://icmglt.org/therepairerawards/

Watch my speech: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ9iptptpFr/?img_index=3