Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alycia Brewer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alycia, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
As a 15 year old involved in a sexually abusive relationship, I had no choice but to be resilient. With the support of my friends and family I was able to file for a restraining order and launch a district wide investigation into sexual assault on high school campuses. Years after my recovery, I launched the RB Teddy Project – a healing project to raise awareness about relationship abuse and show other victims that they are not alone. Surviving my trauma inspires me to pursue my wildest dreams and to lift up those who relate to my journey.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I placed 11 disfigured teddy bears around and nearby my highschool campus – 11 locations I remember being raped, assaulted, and abused. They display the message, “Something unspeakable happened here. Please help me heal and find me a new home.” My RB experience taught me the absolute difference between terror and horror. These bears hold the innocence that has been taken from me. To those who found a bear, please keep her safe. Protect her and love her. Give her a home and let her take up space. Please believe her.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Creativity, authenticity, and tenacity got me to where I am today. My creative outlets of poetry and sculpture laid the foundation for advocacy. No matter how my voice wavers, I always speak out with honesty about my story. This journey has been terrifying, excruciating, and heartbreaking – and still I persist. My advice for anyone in a similar situation is to trust your gut, give yourself room for emotions, and find outlets that make you feel heard.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
My dream is for the RB Teddy Project to be widely available to other victims like me. In response to my project, a neighbor asked if she could have a bear. I was inspired to make my second line of disfigured bears that read, “I hear you. I see you. I believe you.” I offer these bears free of charge to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse. I am looking for outlets to promote my Teddy Project, increase accessibility, and show other victims that they are heard, seen, and believed. If you would like to collaborate with my project, please reach out to me by email ([email protected]).
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @alycia.art
- Other: email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Alycia Brewer
