From Tracie: My Name is Tracie

Monday, December 20, 2010

My Name is Tracie

A few years ago, Chris de Serres from (Wo)Men Speak Out made a video. It is a very honest look at his life as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. He entitled it My Name is Chris and posted it on youtube.

This year Chris was on Oprah. He was one of the 200 men who stood up and told the world that they had survived childhood sexual abuse. After the show, he was contacted by a participant named Jarrod.

Jarrod told him that the My Name is Chris video had helped in his recovery, and that he had made his own video entitled, My Name is Jarrod.

That was the birth of the My Name Is Project.

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My Name Is Tracie

This is the story of my journey through this life.

The story of survival.

The story of Tracie.

My Name Is Tracie video link

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The My Name Is Project is a survivor-driven project to educate the public and inspire the survivor communities to break the silence of abuse. The goal is to create a group of videos which tell the collective stories of abuse and trauma in our communities. It is open to any survivor who would like to make a video and have it included in the project.

More information about the project and videos can be found on the My Name Is Project Facebook Group.
and
My Name Is Chris, and all of the "My Name Is..." videos can be found here.


28 comments:

  1. Popped in from SITS. This is so honest and poignant. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  2. LOVE IT LOVE LOVE LOVE IT>> and now i HAVE to make a video lol

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  3. i am so sorry that happened to you. Im glad that you survived it and can still see the good in life. ((hugs)) that was very brave of you to post that.

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  4. Hi Tracie,
    This project sounds wonderful and I think that you are so brave and courageous to tell your story.
    God Bless You sweetie.

    I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  5. That is absolutely awesome. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  6. Oh my goodness... I sat in awe with every word, every picture!!! That was amazing! At the end, I was ready to jump up & CHEER YOU ON!!!!!

    You are SOOOO a survivor!!!!! So proud of you for doing this video - putting such powerful words with such encouraging thoughts...

    YOU ROCK!!!!!

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  7. That is BEAUTIFUL! Just like you!
    I am so GLAD I know you hun.
    You are AMAZING inside and out.
    If I was closer to you, I'd take you out to lunch right now.
    (It would be a steak and potato lunch, and it would be after one of my paychecks.)
    I love your honesty.
    I love your laughter.
    I love the way we joke around.
    I am so glad you OVERCAME your abuse.
    Because the world needs Tracie and all her wonderfulness that she has to offer.
    Thank YOU for sharing your story.
    (I think you deserve a check for this video.) It is AMAZING!

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  8. This takes a lot of bravery and strength. You should be proud of who you are.

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  9. Tracie,
    You are so brave, and this video is amazing. Thank you for creating this place. A place for people to share their hearts and hurt, and place for people to learn. You are a gift.

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  10. Tracie, thank you for sharing your story. I was inspired by My Name Is project, and it gave me the courage to make a video too. It's empowering!

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  11. Oh, my sweet friend. How brave and strong you are.

    I'm crying here.

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  12. A survivor's story for sure. Thank you for making it. This kind of courage moves mountains and helps others.

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  13. SO brave. I'm sure you'll help more people than you can imagine. Thank you for sharing.

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  14. Delighted to meet you in strength and real.

    Have a joy filled, love overflow Christmas and shout with me Happy Birthday Jesus!

    Sarah

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  15. Wow Tracie!!! Appreciate you sharing your voice here for all who come behind you. Blessings.

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  16. This is a beautiful video and you are amazing. I thought I'd share about a site I try to support called violence unsilenced. If you'd like the link, happy to share. It's full of heartbreak and wrenching stories, but mostly support for those who are silent no more.

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  17. Thank you for all that you are! <3

    ~ Joanna

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  18. Wow! I don't have the words for it. Wow. Great job on the video.

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  19. Great admiration for your courage and strength.

    Wow.

    Me

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  20. Tracie,

    I am sorry I am so late seeing this. I've been trying to play catch up the last few days...

    You've made an incredible video here, and I'm so proud of you. And proud to KNOW YOU. You've made an amazing life for yourself and Katarina will grow up to be a strong, smart, and beautiful woman just like her mom.

    I was never sexually abused, but I think you and I share some of the same faulty coping mechanisms.I still need to write love on my arms. I wear my shirt often. And I think of you often.

    Love you,
    erin

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  21. It is SO incredible brave and strong of you to share your story in this way. Thank you for doing so. It was powerful beyond words. I am so sorry that you had such experiences, but I am so happy to see you as flying high and free. You're beautiful. What a beautiful family you have. {Hugs} to you!

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  22. I love these videos because they portray such hope in what often seems so hopeless. My favorite part was when you said you were silenced but now you have a voice. You are using it to do amazing things.

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  23. Wow, Tracie! That was fantastic! I'm really impressed. You told your story beautifully; I love how you put it all together. Thank you so much for sharing. I'll be linking to this soon!

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  24. Tracie,

    I found you at Mrs. 4444's site. I saw the Oprah show you are referring to. I was not aware of this project. Your story is very similar to my own. My abuser died when I was 15. I call it freedom day - October 10, 1982. I, too, am a Survivor and a Christian. I have been set free of the guilt and shame of my childhood abuse. I am going to give some serious thought into doing my own video as well to spread awareness. Thank you for sharing your story. We share a bond as survivors and believers. I call you sister.

    I am going to add your button to my blog. Please feel free to do the same.

    God bless!

    Pam

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  25. That was wonderfully done. I am so sorry for what you experienced, I actually breathed a sigh of relief when your uncle died. I couldn't help it.

    One of my best friends was sexually abused by her father, the worst you can imagine, things that I as a married woman still have not done.

    I met her over ten years ago.

    She held it together for a long time, and was valedictorian, but in her teen years she started to unravel; anorexia, severe mental illness, self-harm. She still is a genius and is good at everything she does, but had to go on disability permanently because she could no longer regularly function. She has been hospitalized in mental institutions many times.

    She lost a great job and her home. She still has a great attitude but every day is a struggle for her.

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  26. Darling woman...

    I have had this post bookmarked since you posted it, committed to watching this video as soon as life 'round the holiday calmed down.

    Which was...FINALLY...this morning.

    And I am SO glad I did. This was incredible.

    I am so glad you found your voice, and love, and joy. You deserve them all, and I am angry - as I am always angry when I hear stories like yours - that ANYONE tried to steal them from you.

    You are a powerful thing, lovely one, and I am honored to count you among my friends.

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  27. Wow, Tracie! I am awestruck! That was a truly inspiring video. I don't think I ever heard your survivor story before. Thank you for having the courage to share it, make this video and use it for THE BLOG CARNIVAL AGAINST CHILD ABUSE.

    AWESOME! :)

    Thanks, also for sharing your beautiful photographs and the ways in which you allow your inner child to have fun! This is great!

    (((((((((((Tracie))))))))))

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