I survived domestic violence (I stand in solidarity with all victims). I was 24 years old, and my intimate partner at the time strangled, and attempted to take my life. In living through that experience, I was brought to a place where I was woken. I published my book of poetry, Morph Bred, that highlights my experiences through the abuse. The book is a symbol of my survival and in it I reflect on life being a continual cycle. There will always be darkness, experiences that feel like they are meant to be destructive and never ending, but through self love and support from others, there is light, there is hope, and there is a place of serenity. I recognize through my experience that life does not have to remain in the dark. That is where education comes in. I cannot stress enough around the importance of education. Education is Power! I am an artists and a teacher, and my hopes are to continually educate myself around the issue of domestic violence, because there is a cycle there too known as the Power of Control. I encourage everyone to armor up with educational shields to spread light and love in everyday personal experiences.