Editors Note
A different way home
When I was 7 years old, I got a dad. He was a great man, I thought. We moved to a new state. Got a new house. It was like a wonderland to me. I had a family. As the first year started passing, I realized that parents argued. A lot. About everything. We moved. Again. And again. And again. We just kept moving. Having a family was weird to me. Having a dad was foreign. After a while, I stopped seeing my mom. He started telling me that she didn't want to see me. He said that she was embarassed of me, and that she hated me. He gave her bruises sometimes. And then we would move again..and again..and again. I got used to this lifestyle. I didn't know anything was wrong with it. Black and blue became normal. Locked in the house, was safe. WHo needed friends. I know that domestic violence is real. I know that pain.
Sadly, in today's world, people often mistake, or lie about DV. It hurts me to see that. It also hurts me knowing that many women get turned away from shelters due to budget cuts. I want to change that. I want to spread the word and make a difference. People are starting to speak up and speak out, we just need to be there to listen. This magazine has narrative pieces, a high school STF project, informative, and persuasive pieces. The artwork also helps my cause. I hope it impacts you.