EP 137: The Summer Willis Act: From Silence To Systems Change With Summer Willis The Unburdened Leader podcast

Content provided by Rebecca Ching, LMFT, Rebecca Ching, and LMFT. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Rebecca Ching, LMFT, Rebecca Ching, and LMFT or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

The Unburdened Leader »
EP 137: The Summer Willis Act: From Silence to Systems Change with Summer Willis

6d ago 1:02:35

MP3•Episode home

What does it take to lead when your story becomes the story, and the stakes are survival and justice?

When you’ve experienced relational trauma or institutional betrayal, as Judith Herman wrote in Trauma and Recovery, “The ordinary response to atrocities is to banish them from consciousness.”

But silence protects systems, not survivors.

When we do speak up, at best we’re often told to move on, and at worst we might face violent pushback. The stress and fear from the blowback can all too easily silence us and chip away at our integrity and adaptability if we don’t do the important work to address the toll it takes.

But when we give ourselves permission to feel the overwhelm, and still take one step forward, we shift from silence into action. Sometimes that step is public and loud. Sometimes it's private and steady. All of it counts. There is no one right way to advocate for change.

My guest today did more than just share her story; she used it to create meaningful change in her home state of Texas. In this conversation, we discuss what it means to bear the weight of your trauma while advocating for others, the emotional toll of being a public face for change, and what it looks like to keep showing up, even when the system makes it difficult.

Summer Willis is an endurance athlete, advocate, and mother of two who ran 29 marathons in a year to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors. She is the namesake of the Summer Willis Act, landmark consent legislation passed in Texas. Through storytelling, extreme challenges, and her nonprofit Strength Through Strides, she empowers others to turn pain into purpose.

Content note: discussion of sexual assault

Listen to the full episode to hear:

The legal loophole in Texas law that ignited Summer’s drive to turn her worst experience into tangible change for millions of survivors
How sharing her story and raising awareness and support for the law connected Summer to a wide community of survivors and allies when she was feeling isolated
Why she decided to run 29 marathons before her 30th birthday while sharing her story, and how that challenge evolved into legislative advocacy
How being an endurance athlete helped Summer through legislative challenges and setbacks to get the Summer Willis Act passed
How Summer is bringing in lightness to her life after sharing her story over and over while trying to pass the bill
Why taking the first step and learning along the way are crucial to shaping change

Learn more about Summer Willis:

Learn more about Rebecca:

Resources:

141 episodes

#Society #Conversations #Self-Improvement #Rebecca Ching, LMFT #LMFT #Rebecca Ching #Podcasting Education