We recently connected with Anne Kinsey and have shared our conversation below.
Anne, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
If you had asked me as a child what I wanted to do when I grew up, I wouldn’t have had a clear answer, but looking back, my purpose was always there, taking root long before I had words for it.
One of my earliest memories of purpose came in preschool when I watched a video about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. Afterward, my teacher leaned forward, eyes bright, and told our diverse classroom that it only took one person to change the world—and that each of us could be that person.
Even then, I noticed that the world did not treat all of us the same. I saw that some people found survival difficult and that access to resources wasn’t fair. Though I didn’t yet have the language for systemic oppression, those early observations planted a seed in me that grew as I learned to navigate both privilege and marginalization.
As I grew older, I kept searching for ways to live out that calling. In elementary school, I started an environmental club. In middle school, I fought to save our music program. In college, I protested for queer rights and against the racism and xenophobia that flared up after 9/11. In grad school, I participated in mutual aid for unhoused people who had experienced human trafficking. In early parenthood, I led a birth trauma support group and advocated for midwifery rights. When my kids were older, I volunteered with nonprofits supporting survivors of human trafficking before eventually founding Love Powered Life, a nonprofit dedicated to providing trauma recovery services to people who have experienced human trafficking, as well as their family members.
Through all of this, my purpose remained the same: to heal and share healing in community while working toward change. But it took me time to recognize that. For years, I mistook the expectations of oppressive systems for my own. I took jobs that drained me, from a short stint in corporate HR to an MLM that demanded I smile even when it hurt. I spent 14 years writing as a contractor for a newspaper corporation that required my words to fit their agenda instead of my truth. Each time I strayed from my purpose, my mental and physical health suffered. I kept pushing myself to prove I deserved a seat at the table, until I was burnt out and numb.
What ultimately helped me find my way back was community. I realized that my purpose wasn’t something I had to chase; it was something I had always carried. I just had to build a life that honored it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My work centers around healing, storytelling, and community care. I wear many hats, but they are all connected by the same purpose.
I am a nonprofit founder, as well as a neurofeedback and biofeedback professional dedicated to providing healing services to people with lived experiences of all forms of human trafficking, and their family members. I am committed to creating accessible paths to healing through neurofeedback, biofeedback, trauma recovery coaching, and writing-based approaches that honor the full complexity of experiences for survivors on the margins.
I’m also an author, and my debut poetry collection, Mosaic Hearts: Poems on Being a Queer and Interracial Family in the South, released in March of 2025. This collection is deeply personal, weaving together stories that explore the pain, complexity, and joy of navigating the world with intersectionality. Alongside this, I am currently working on my second book, You Are the Gift: Healing Trauma from the Margins, a trauma recovery guide aimed at making healing more accessible for marginalized communities.
Beyond my nonprofit and writing, I work as a consultant in the anti-trafficking sector, providing survivor-informed training for national security organizations and nonprofits. I’ve collaborated with organizations like Polaris and the National Survivor Network, and my work has been recognized by the Dressember Foundation and the We Need Diverse Books grant program.
Looking ahead, I am excited about expanding my work at the intersection of creative expression, community care, and trauma recovery. I am currently applying to PhD programs to study the power of uninterrupted self-expression for people on the margins—how it can transform perceptions of well-being and create social change. My goal is to develop a replicable model for community care that helps others tap into their own voices and build spaces that nurture healing and empowerment.
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?
Looking back, three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are intuition, community-building, and embracing complexity without self-censorship.
1. Honoring Intuition: Learning to trust my intuition was a turning point. For years, I ignored gut feelings and took paths that didn’t align with me, thinking I just needed to push through. Now, I know that listening to my intuition is an act of self-preservation. My advice for others is to start practicing small acts of trust in yourself—whether it’s setting a boundary, walking away from something that doesn’t feel right, or making a choice that aligns with your inner knowing. The more you trust your instincts, the stronger they become.
2. Building Community: Healing is never meant to happen in isolation. I didn’t get here alone, and no one should have to. For those early in their journey, I encourage you to find or create spaces where you are fully seen. Whether that’s an online writing group, a support circle, or a spiritual practice, community is one of the most powerful tools for growth.
3. Embracing Complexity: I’ve learned that my value isn’t in being easy to categorize but in embracing my full self. In the past, I was asked to shrink—to make my writing more palatable, to present a version of myself that fit into a mold. But my work, my art, and my life became richer when I stopped filtering myself. My advice for others is to resist the urge to simplify yourself for the comfort of others. Your complexity is your strength.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I didn’t get here alone. My journey has been shaped by a strong network of people who have supported, challenged, and encouraged me along the way. Fellow survivor-leaders in anti-trafficking work have shown me the power of collective healing, reminding me that my voice and lived experience matter. The Instagram writing community has provided a space where I feel seen and supported. Beth Kempton’s Book Proposal Masterclass helped me believe in my ability to publish, while James Crews’ work inspired me to reclaim my voice through poetry. Angela Yarber at Tehom Center Publishing affirmed my voice as a nonbinary writer, offering a space where I could write freely, without shrinking any part of my identity.
Above all, my spouse, family, and treasured friends—including my Fat friends and witch circle—have been my strongest foundation. Their support has given me the courage to keep creating, keep advocating, and keep building spaces where others can heal.
In the end, healing isn’t just about survival, it’s about nurturing communities where we can exist fully and freely. My desire is to create those spaces in collaboration with others, in defiance of a world that too often tries to erase us. After all, the impact of our lives isn’t measured by how well we fit into corrupt systems, but by how we create new ways of being that honor our personal and collective truth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://annekinsey.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anne.kinsey.writes/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-kinsey/
Image Credits
The first image was by me (no credit needed).
The four supporting images are from Lora Denton with Lora Denton Photography.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
