by EMMA JIMENEZ

The trauma of being sexually assaulted can leave someone feeling scared, ashamed, and plagued with recurring and upsetting memories that can often last a lifetime. It is unfortunate that sexual violence continues to be prevalent in this country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that nearly one in five women in the U.S. have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives, often by someone they know and trust.

Sexual assault is a dehumanizing act of violence perpetrated by one human being on another. After such a traumatic experience, it takes survivors years to regain their sense of control, rebuild their self-worth, and learn to heal. Although most survivors choose to stay silent, there are a few who choose to take a public stand, share their story, and challenge others to rise above the pain.

Lisa Michelle’s Story

Lisa Michelle is the social media entrepreneur behind the beauty brand Lily & Co., which provides funding to safe houses globally through the sale of products handcrafted by sexual assault survivors. She is the founder and executive director of No Strings Attached Ministries, a nonprofit that exists to guide sexually exploited women and children into healing through intervention, prevention, and outreach. No Strings Attached Ministries also offers aftercare to women and children on a consistent basis. Lisa Michelle is also an ordained minister under the Patricia King Ministries and has dedicated her life to healing the sexually exploited, bringing awareness to sexual assault and abuse, and opposing human trafficking.

Lisa Michelle is a survivor of sexual abuse and exploitation. She was sexually abused by her biological father and trafficked by a well-respected businessman who ran a funeral home in the neighborhood where she grew up. As a survivor, she knows firsthand how overwhelming it is for most survivors of sexual abuse to ask for help. Lisa Michelle ministers to young women in the sex industry (mostly strip clubs in the San Antonio area) to remind them of their self-worth and potential in the hope that they will voluntarily leave the sex industry. She also works with various other nonprofits dedicated to rescuing women and children from human trafficking.

As an advocate, Lisa Michelle encourages those who have been victimized to speak their truth to end the false sense of shame that many carry with them. She has dedicated her life to sharing her own story in the hope that it will help other survivors rise above the abuse they have endured. To Lisa Michelle, staying silent only reinforces and elevates victimhood. Ministering to young women in the sex industry about their self-worth and partnering with other nonprofit organizations fighting to combat human trafficking has allowed her to redirect the rage she once felt toward her abusers.

Facing Her Abuser

Lisa Michelle recalls standing by the side of her father’s hospital bed and no longer feeling afraid and helpless in front of the man who had once tormented her. She now saw a powerless man who she felt was still worthy of God’s grace and salvation.

“I’m often asked how can I choose to forgive someone who hurt me so deeply? The answer is simple; forgiving my father that day as he laid in the hospital bed was the only way I could continue to truly move forward with my life,” Lisa Michelle stated.

Lisa Michelle shared with Politifix News that she has not only chosen to forgive her two abusers, but she has also allowed herself to not be consumed by hate.

“I was once focused solely on survival and self-preservation. Learning to forgive the men who hurt me freed me from the rage that was once consuming me,” stated Lisa Michelle.

Forgiveness in no shape or form justifies the wrongdoing one human being does to another, but it can clear someone’s outlook in life. Lisa Michelle is living proof of that. Her story is one of hope, undying faith, and the power of forgiveness and redemption. Whereas some choose to let their pain consume them, others choose to let their pain transform them into something greater.

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by EMMA JIMENEZ

Many Gay Americans are faced with rejection, abuse, and are often times disowned by their family members when they choose to come out “of the closet,” so to speak. Often times due to their sexual preferences they will find themselves being excluded from social gatherings. In the political spectrum coming out as a gay Republican can be just as equally as frightening and lonesome.

Heath Barnes, a gay Trump supporter claims that coming out as a Republican man was more difficult for him than coming out as gay man. Barnes claims that coming out as a Gay Republican Trump supporter has subjected him to being ostracized by members from his own community.

In 2019, Miss Gay America, a national pageant for female impersonators, removed Barnes from their organization due to his political stance and his outspoken support for president Trump. Barnes was not an impersonator but he owned several pre-preliminaries where he sponsored contestants to compete in nationals. He won pre-preliminary of the year in 2019 largely due to his contributions to the organization throughout the period of 4 years. Four months later Barnes was asked to resigned due to his outspoken support for president Trump via social media.

Barnes political beliefs have made him a prime subject of personal attacks from the side he claims is supposed to be advocating for inclusiveness and equality; yet deliver the complete opposite.

“The champions of tolerance have now become the intolerant,” exclaimed Barnes.

On social media alone he has been subjected to repeated online lynching, from members within his own LGBT community.

“I have been told I should kill myself and to jump off a bridge. I’ve been told I should lay on a train track and wait until I’m taken out by the train. The daily messages I receive from members of my own community are sickening,” exclaimed Barnes.

Barnes blames the mainstream news media for the hate filled rhetoric he’s been subjected to.

“The mainstream news media has deliberately provided misinformation about president Trump and has depicted him as someone that hates homosexuals. This isn’t true at all. What you’ll never hear from the mainstream news media is that he’s the first president to enter the White House already supporting gay marriage unlike Joe Biden and Barrack Obama who campaigned against it,” stated Barnes.

Barnes goes on to mention how President Trump is the most inclusive president that the Republican Party has ever had.  Earlier this year President Trump named Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, acting director of national intelligence which Barnes states, this should not have only been a historical moment for the LGBT community but it should’ve been celebrated. As of June of this year Grenell has resigned. Barnes also goes on to mention how President Trump is the first Republican to start an LGBT Coalition-and yet is still dumbfounded on how he can be considered “homophobic.”

“The left hates president Trump because he is giving the power back to the people. The problem with the left is that they will force you to believe (with the help of liberal media bias) that you are no more than your sexuality, your gender, your race, etc. They want you to live in a constant state of fear that someone is constantly coming for your rights. Especially if you’re within a minority group. That’s part of the Democrat propaganda:  Republicans are going to take away your rights and we’re the ones trying to protect you from them,” stated Barnes.

Barnes hopes that by sharing his story it will inspire others in the gay community to be more outspoken about their support for president Trump.

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by EMMA JIMENEZ

Anna Paulina Luna, a conservative political activist and Air Force veteran, is running for US Congress in 2020 for Florida’s 13th Congressional district against incumbent Democrat Rep. Charlie Crist, whose current term ends on January 3, 2021. Luna is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2020. She advanced from the Republican primary on August 18, 2020.

Raised by a single mother of three in the low-income neighborhoods of Southern California, Luna grew up in a life of poverty as the daughter of an absentee father who struggled with drug addiction. The challenges Luna faced during her childhood did not stop her from wanting to aim high, fight, and win. At just nineteen years of age, she made the bold decision to enlist in the United States Air Force. Serving in the military helped Luna develop strength and courage. It also provided the structure she lacked in her early family life, and it enabled her to earn a steady income to support her family financially and to seek professional help for her father. Luna has spoken of the humility she gained while in the Air Force from working closely with people from all walks of life toward a common goal. She thanks her military experience for her success in life today.

Additionally, Luna was able to attend college through her military service and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of West Florida. She had always dreamed about becoming a doctor so she could help support her family and accomplish her ultimate goal of opening a clinic for low-income patients. When she was accepted into medical school, a doctor and mentor told Luna she could help more people in politics than as a doctor because she would have a bigger impact on people’s health care through legislation. As a result, Luna turned down the opportunity to attend medical school because she feared the direction the country was headed. She decided at that moment to put aside ten years of effort in becoming a doctor to instead serve her country by entering the ring in what could be the fight of her life—defeating an incumbent, entrenched democrat in the world of politics.

Sought out by PragerU and Turning Point USA, Anna Paulina Luna is a fast learner who has soaked in facts, statistics, and policies while quickly developing public speaking skills and amassing a large number of contacts, supporters, and channels to create her path to Washington.

If elected, Luna will do the following:

• Solidify and expand conservative outreach to Hispanics and or/Latinos nationally
• Advocate for the national reciprocity of concealed carry gun permits
• Bring back school choice and return control of education to the states
• Advocate for completing the border wall and securing America’s border

Luna’s commitment to her country is represented by the oath she took to defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. She believes there is no greater honor than to serve your country- in fact, she shared with Politifix News that serving her country was an honor, not an obligation. She further stated that by serving her country, she was also serving humanity as a whole.

Luna is concerned that our country’s freedoms are slowly being dismantled by left-wing politicians who wish to strip Americans of their individual freedoms in their ultimate quest for greater power and control. She believes that government should be limited—not expanded. To Luna, limiting the power of government prevents excessive control over people’s freedoms, actions, and lives.

In Luna’s own words, “Our constitutional rights as Americans aren’t secure if they are continuously being violated by politicians who only wish to extend their political power over Americans’ individual freedoms.”

Luna sees herself as a non-politician—one not controlled by special interests but who cherishes the opportunity to serve her district as well as her country once more. She’s ready to fight for our “God-given rights,” as she boldly expressed. Overcoming significant obstacles during her early years made her want to keep fighting, not just for herself but also for others.

Luna is a fighter. She’s focused, committed, and resilient. She will not give up and will always fight for what is right.

For more information on Anna Paulina Luna and to support her run for Congress, please visit her official webpage.