Earlier this year, I took a position in Marketing & Communications at House of Ruth Maryland.

Every day, I am in awe of the people around me working so tirelessly to support survivors. I am in awe of the survivors taking back their power. The stories, the triumphs, the little wins, the stumbles. It all paints a bigger picture that we need to pay attention to.

I usually prefer to celebrate others' birthdays rather than my own, but I couldn't pass on the opportunity this year to send some extra love to an organization doing such crucial work.

If you have a few extra coffee dollars to spare this month, I'd love for you to consider donating to House of Ruth Maryland. They provide rapid rehousing, free legal aid, counseling, childcare and more to survivors of intimate partner violence. They also offer community outreach and trainings, as well as Abuse Intervention Programs to target IPV at its core.

Thanks for ringing in the last year of my 20s with me by standing with survivors!

(Oh, and follow us on socials @houseofruthmd if it floats your canoe. We'd love to have you be a part of our community.)