Reflecting Pool

Beth Siegling (she/they) is a multi-hyphenate artist and survivor from North Carolina. She has worked with Time To Tell since 2019 facilitating & moderating writing circles for survivors of incest and child sexual abuse. Beth is a head co-editor of Beneath the Soil, an anthology of artistic works by queer & trans survivors of sexual violence, now in its third edition. When she is not immersed in survivor-focused work, Beth works as a full-time musical theatre performer across the country. 

Riss Myung (she/her) is a Mind Body Coach, Traditional Chinese Medicine Apprentice, and multidisciplinary artist. Founder of @rewritewithriss, she offers healing spaces centered around creativity and community building. Riss combines her experiences as an eldest daughter of immigrants, survivor, and advocate to provide multi-modality approaches in moving from crisis to wellness.

Andy Quintana Vendrell (she/her) is a therapist, life coach, creative coach, teacher, dancer and artist. She recently graduated with a Masters in Social Work from USC with a previous double major in Psychology and Theater and Performance Studies from UC Berkeley. She combines her trauma-informed education, her own lived experiences as a survivor of SA and developmental trauma, and her range of creative skills to provide spaces for healing, growth and connection. Andy has worked directly with survivors utilizing relational cultural theory, somatic techniques, internal family systems therapy and narrative therapy on top of the more traditional modalities. She also directed dance teams, some of which focused on themes of survivorship and sought to help dancers reclaim their bodies and sensuality. 

August Stephens (he/they) is a trans, neuroqueer disabled academic researcher, poet, and visual artist. As a survivor, he writes under a pseudonym with a strong goal of building a platform for other survivors. He has also been trained in Bystander Awareness and Sexual Violence Intervention. They try to bring a “gentle leader” approach with a punk twist mindset to anything, and are currently trying to engage in more active listening. When not reading or writing, they frequently haunt the zine section of local bookstores and drink copious amounts of matcha.

Brecken Styles (she/her)  is a law student, older sister, ice hockey player, and lover of romance novels. She recently graduated with a BFA in Musical Theater and a BA in Spanish from Southeast Missouri State University, and while she loved her time by the Mississippi River, her heart beats for the rural areas of the upper midwest. Her work is focused on classism in community healing as well as the queer neurodivergent survivor experience.

Calista Hennie is a writer and survivor from Queens, NY. For the past year, she’s been dedicated to deepening her healing journey, and begun writing about her survivorship for the first time. Calista’s early stages of advocacy have included sharing her work and building community through her Substack, @caliberate. More recently, she’s hoped to connect with other survivors through trauma-focused literary magazines. She has published and forthcoming work on Braver Collective, The Blunt Space, and Toyon Multicultural Literary Magazine. Calista’s creativity also extends into her career, as a copywriter at an advertising agency, and into her other hobbies, including singing, guitar-playing, and graphic design

Claire (she/they) is a medical student and patient advocate who is passionate about trauma-informed care. Prior to pursuing a career in medicine, she taught coursework to increase awareness for survivor support avenues and has experience in providing one-on-one crisis intervention and management as a sexual violence helpline responder. Outside of advocacy, Claire loves to engage with the arts, explore food scenes, and engage with her local community. 

Deb Coffy (they/she) is a Black, Queer Haitian American reproductive justice advocate, event planner, writer, creative, and researcher. A lifelong activist, they began their work canvassing and phone banking for political campaigns. As assistant student director for the Multicultural Student Center, they uplifted Black and Queer representation by creating the first Afro Knights event, highlighting Black Queer musicians and co-creating the first Women’s Market Day in 2023. Deb has continued their work through organizations such as the Queer Trans Project, Healthy Teen Network, the Transgender Law Center, and Brown Boi Project. In 2024, they were a communications fellow for Community Change, writing on social justice and LGBTQ+ issues. Deb is now the Program and Community Engagement Coordinator for Black Girls Smile and is co-developing a docu-series, Mahogany Galore, focused on Black Sapphic and Trans men’s spaces.

Gurwant Khabra (she/her) is a registered nurse and graduate of San Francisco State University, and holds a BA in Public Health from UC Berkeley. She has been involved in advocacy work through UC Berkeley’s SafeBears Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Committee (2021), supporting efforts to create safer, more informed communities.

Gurwant is passionate about patient-centered care, health equity, and fostering strong relationships with patients and their families. She is especially drawn to spaces that uplift healing, resilience, and empowerment.

Outside of healthcare, she enjoys traveling, yoga, and spending time in nature. She hopes to continue growing as a nurse while contributing to compassionate, inclusive spaces where individuals feel seen, supported, and stronger together.

Lauren Ward (b.1992, New Mexico) is an artist, mother, advocate, and junior at Brown University. Her work’s been exhibited at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Brown University, Harvard University, Rhode Island School of Design and numerous locations throughout Chicago and New England. Ward was an artist in residence at The Creative Reuse Center of Rhode Island, as well as the recipient of the prestigious Hugh Townley Travel Fellowship Award in 2025, which enabled her to travel to Ireland with her daughter, reconnect with her Irish heritage and the inspiring craftsmanship of her ancestors. Her next body of work will arrive from the memories gathered from her travels. She spread some of her father’s ashes all over Ireland and that was an honor. 

Ward is a Sexual Assault Prevention Education (SAPE) Coordinator at Brown, as well as a teaching assistant for the sculpture department.

Miyanna Clements-Williamson (she/her) is an Associate Therapist and Survivor currently living in California from the Carolinas. As a person moving through the world Miyanna relies on her identity as a christian to shape her choices and for support. Miyanna studied to get her Master's in Social Work and has worked with various populations who have experienced substance use, pregnancy, disordered eating, chronic pain, depression and Trauma. Miyanna has recently completed EMDR basic training and hopes to continue adding more somatic healing practices into her work.

Lea Akima (they/them) is a survivor advocate on a lifelong journey of healing, growth, and learning! At the national nonprofit NAPIESV, they provide training and resources to organizations, departments, and individuals who support sexual assault survivors of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. As a queer, AFAB, Asian American, survivor (and many other identities), Lea cares deeply about the communities they are a part of, and their goal is to support survivors and other community members in their healing. In their free time, Lea loves to sing and dance, whether that be at home, in the car, at workshops, or with friends.

Mel B (she/her) is a researcher, mother, and survivor from the Westside of Chicago. I have a background in sociology, behavioral health, and human computer interaction. Over the past 6 years, I’ve worked with a wide variety of tech companies and agencies, conducting research for their products and experiences; keeping diversity and the rights of their users in mind. This year, I’ve pivoted back to my passion for social impact and community-driven research by working with the Cities Project as a Research Psychology student and a researcher at DePaul University.  

Elise Cee is an interdisciplinary artist, community organizer, and healing practitioner raised in Oakland & Richmond, California. Rooted in her experiences as a young Black woman survivor and cultural worker, Elise brings a tender yet powerful presence to every space she enters. Her work lives at the intersections of art, advocacy, and ancestral healing—whether through her sound healing offerings, music performances, or community-based workshops centering natural wellness and self-expression. With a deep commitment to transformation and collective care, Elise draws from her lived experience and creative skillset to co-create spaces that are honest, liberating, and nourishing. She believes in the power of storytelling, ritual, and rhythm to move us toward justice and deeper connection.

Sara Lambert (she/her) is a creative entrepreneur, experience designer, yoga teacher, and survivor based in New York City. She works in community engagement technology and public sector innovation, focusing on helping purpose-driven organizations embed community voices into the design of products, services, and systems that impact their lives. With a practice grounded in care, compassion, and curiosity, Sara is passionate about the healing arts and dedicated to creating inclusive spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered.