ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPH:

“My significant other really brings me light. I have been through a lot with men throughout my life. When I was 21 years old, my ex-boyfriend shot me and shot himself in the head. So I've really never had the experience of having a real man that cared about me or loved me or treated me well. I use the picture of me and my significant other, who is also in recovery. He has 13 years sober, and I will have four in January. And we do a lot of meetings and recovery-related things together. He really brings me a lot of light. And I kind of I bring the light myself, to be honest. I'm a graduate of the program where I work now. So I'm alumni here, and I now get to give back to my community of women that were stuck in human trafficking. And I'm able to work a full-time job and pay my own bills. I think I think I bring the light myself. Always be a hope shot for the people behind you.”