In this photo is my brother James Todd, (1965-2017) sisters Tracey and Nicole, and myself. You see a forced smile upon the face of a little girl, dressed in a gorgeous pink dress, tights with shiny MaryJane shoes, bows in her hair, and a mind swirling with fear on this Easter Day in 1970. That little girl is me, one month before my 7th birthday.
On most holidays, 20-30 family members would gather at our home or my paternal grandmother’s home. I would always be excited to see most of my extended family, primarily my cousins. Yet I feared being caught by a drunken aunt or uncle in the long staircase that separated my grandmother’s living quarters from the living quarters of several of my aunts and their children. Being caught in that staircase meant that there was a high probability that I was going to be sexually abused.
Every time I hear the lyrics in the song “Blame It” by Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain, I literally become physically sick to my stomach, as it triggers a PTSD episode. Some individuals in my extended family have asked that I cease talking about the “mistaken sexual abuse due to alcoholism.”
That is NOT going to occur!
I’m forever grateful for Easterseals and their ongoing community outreach support. After God and my Mom, Easterseals has gotten me to this point of no longer remaining SILENT!
If you have not yet cast your ballot for this 2020 Presidential election and you’re not sure if your vote counts, please understand that the election is connected to the much-needed community resources. An absent vote and an unanswered Census takes funds out of communities. Please think about the right leadership for children and their families.
Easterseals https://www.easterseals.com
“Blame It” by Jamie Foxx feat. T-Pain https://youtu.be/iFCWVwNk9to