Updated: May 12, 2022
The Survivors Community
Hello Survivors,
Welcome to the official relaunch of TSC. To each and every one of you choosing to take the time to visit our site and view all that we are super excited to be sharing with you all I give the hugest of thanks and appreciation. It's extremely difficult (probably impossible) to clearly express who "We" are, because "We" are "You". You know 1st hand how impossible it is to truly describe yourself to the world. We all try to some degree or another. Sometimes we think we did a fantastic job and we can't possibly be misunderstood, and then reality hits and of course we're disappointed smh. We're here and exist, not to solve that problem (because no simple solution exists), but simply to present different tools and means of self expression.
We're here to introduce a safe, all inclusive, space that will allow everybody to matter equally no matter who you are and what you believe and stand for. This is a goal we won't reach overnight, but that we can all build to together as we "Grow Through" and develop into whoever it is we choose to be.
Here we focus on trauma. Not as it is narrowly defined. We have a vision of connecting the world through all our unique flaws, insecurities and the traumas that we all survive and live through daily. That is why we want the world to understand that we are all survivors in a universal way.
We understand how the word survivor has been utilized thus far, and we are of a mind that the view is diminished from it's truest potential. That is why it is our goal, not to "redefine", but more so "further" define the term and expand peoples view of it.
To TSC the term Survivor is, and should be, a rallying call to understanding that the person before you is not just someone who has/is overcoming something, but is also someone who, because of their unique experiences, has some support, insight and the potential resources of empathy and understanding, that are invaluable to someone else who is currently in the midst of "Growing Through" a struggle.
To us our individual traumas are an identifier of a struggle that we have survived (or are currently surviving), that connects us to others who have/are surviving a trauma as well. We believe the entire world is a survivor of a trauma. Even babies are survivors of the trauma of birth.
Our belief, and the mission we are pursuing, is that our traumas do not have to be identical (or even in the same ballpark) for us to recognize and understand that who you are, and what you've been through has an immense value to the world, which can be acknowledged and utilized if people are willing to give the time, effort, and energy it takes to do so.
The overall mission and goal is to change the way we view and interact with each other. We also hope to change the limits of our abilities to adequately express who we are, and what we are "Growing Through". The limiting belief that certain things should be given less deference because they are not as universally accepted and acknowledged as some of the "Big" traumatic experiences like Cancer or Sexual Assault, is also something that we wish to give an alternate perspective towards.
To a child who is a survivor of bullying, being bullied is an extremely life consuming thing, and the impacts of it are life altering for many (if not all). We as adults sometimes have a tendency to dismiss the pains and struggles of said children because we know (from our own experiences and hindsight) that majority of them will "successfully" outgrow that trauma. But to us @TSC, the unintentional condemnation of the minority of children who will not, is an unacceptable loss. Especially because of the high (and rising) rate of suicide amongst our youth.
To us it's of the utmost importance not to "equalize" all traumas, but to "legitimize" them all and the impact they have in the lives of ourselves and society as a whole [note: Just because a child was a survivor of bullying yesterday, doesn't mean they'll still be one tomorrow]. We believe these shirts are secondary to the overall vision of expressing and acknowledging the traumas of ourselves and others. They (the shirts) are a physical manifestation of your willingness to say "I AM A SUPPORTER OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE REALNESS OF TRAUMA AND IT'S IMPACTS! We used all CAPS because it's our firmest belief that screaming this message to the top of your lungs is what the shirts do and represent.
We believe that when you see someone wearing this shirt you will see them and internally acknowledge that you have something in common with them. Whoever they are. Whatever their background. These shirts (and all future merchandise) are a uniform that is meant to unify TSC and make identifying it's members (and the support to be found in them) that much simpler.
Thank you for visiting us and joining our movement. Return regularly and browse to see what progress and growth has been made since your last visit. Every single day we're just getting started.
Welcome to The Survivors Community!
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