My Speech Advocating Against the Troubled Teen Industry in Jamaica

Because of what I went through in the Troubled Teen Industry, when I heard that seven American boys asked if I would attend their court hearing in Jamaica after being saved from Atlantis Leadership Academy due to horrific abuse allegations including being violently beaten, whipped, water-boarded, and starved.. I knew I needed to show up for them. These children deserve to have people show up for them in their life and it makes me so proud that I was able to be there and tell them that I believed them, and that they matter. I am happy to share that two of the seven boys are going home which is such a relief. 💖🥹 This court hearing was super complex as we are dealing with foreign governments but there is a huge loophole with parents and systems sending kids to international facilities and I plan to address this moving forward. If you are a survivor of ALA or you have any information, please reach out to impact@ and I will provide you with proper resources and access to a law firm who can seek justice on your behalf. Here are some of my favorite lines from my speech I made: “There is nowhere on Earth that I am unwilling to travel to support and advocate for youth who have experienced institutional child abuse and neglect. There is nowhere that a facility can hide where we cannot find them. We will not allow children to carry the shame and stigma of abuse alone — that belongs solely to the abusers.“ “It outrages me that it is taking months to bring these children back to the United States and mere moments to send them away in the first place.“ “While we wait for the government to take action, survivors will continue to uncover this broken system and expose those who are putting profits over the wellbeing of our most vulnerable youth. We will protect the powerless ourselves.“