It Starts With Us—Sharing Our Stories, Building Our Power

Our Wednesdays are not normal. And it’s not okay.

For too long, anti-violence workers have been forced into crisis mode, doing the impossible every day—navigating systems that, while perhaps well-intentioned, were not built to truly protect or heal survivors.We are frontline social workers, advocates, community organizers, educators, changemakers, and survivors ourselves.

We hold the stories of those who’ve been hurt and retraumatized by the very systems meant to support them. The daily triage, the constant crisis management, the systemic betrayal—it’s become so normalized that we hardly have time to stop and question it. But we must. Because working in permanent emergency mode is not normal.

share your story here.

“We invite you to be a part of building this community of solidarity as we dismantle our current systems—rooted in white supremacist cis-hetero-patriarchy. We welcome your support in building alternatives created by and for survivors of gender-based violence. As current systems are maintained by our communities’ participation in and dependence on the status quo, it will take all of us to make the radical changes ahead.”

—Anti-Violence Solidarity Circle Founders Statement

We see it. We live it. And many of us have survived it ourselves. We deserve better. The communities we serve deserve better.

We deserve systems built for healing, accountability, and transformative justice. Systems where survivors actively define what justice looks like for them—where our beloved communities work alongside us to end violence.We are tired of invisibility. Tired of struggling in isolation.

It’s time to build our power. To share our stories and our truth. To stand up and say: This is not normal, and we will not accept it. Join us. Together, we can co-create something better.

What Our Members Are Saying

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"Watching the police tell certain survivors they deserved their abuse is not normal. Scrambling to fill gaps left by broken systems that retraumatize and punish rather than heal is not normal.And yet, we are asked to keep doing this work, day in and day out, alone. The burnout, the sadness, the exhaustion—it’s not just personal. It’s structural. It’s political. And it’s by design.These systems neither prevent nor end violence. Instead, they perpetuate harm, blocking access to justice and healing while upholding systems of supremacy. "
Tanya M
Case-worker from Chicago
"It was a great experience in being seen and heard, exactly where and how we are in our experience! So much compassion, good energy and encouragement was shared along with feelings, truths and revelations."
Debra
Healing Circle Participant
"One of the true judgment free zones I've ever been in where its free to try something uncomfortable and gain the gift of community and serenity it provides."
Mark
Point of View Story Filmmaker
“What the Solidarity circle means to me: it gives me strength and power - despite what happened to me. I am empowered to talk to other people and to share my story. We are on each other’s side every step of the way. It’s full of people who understand what we have been through because they have been through it themselves. For women who come from other countries and are people of color, I want you to know that you are not alone and this is a safe space for you. You are valued, you can find support here. You know, the word solid is in solidarity - we are solid - we are strong. In the Solidarity circle, we aren’t alone anymore. Something is being done.”
Samantha V
Founder of Stopgolf Solidarity Circle
"The team at Survivors Know truly cares about you; not as a “client” but as a person and a survivor.  The team understands that the Service Industry is one of the most mentally and physically demanding ways to support your income, and the atrocities that may occur are generally swept under the rug.   Working with them has allowed myself and others to regain trust and confidence, find help in different outlets, live with less fear, and overall feel heard."
K. Chicago restaurant worker and Solidarity Circle member
“My purpose is in relation to my community around me”
Sabrina from weaving threads

we can change our wednesdays. together.

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