“Every single important woman” in Alexis Smith’s life has been affected by domestic violence, including herself. At age 14 she became trapped in the same similar cycle of abuse and despair that she won victory over several years ago. “It’s something that I’m still experiencing and dealing with today.” It’s something she will experience and deal with for the rest of her life. “He wanted full control over how I utilized my time, who I’m spending my time with.” She said the unrelenting emotional abuse poisoned their relationship, and it damaged the way she related to her close supporters. June 8, 2024, was “not a normal day” for Ms. Smith, 25, an ICU nurse. It was the day she competed against over two dozen other sparkling beauties to be crowned Miss Kansas, only the third Black woman to earn that honor. It was the day the man she was still trying to heal from tried to intimidate and break her again by his unwelcomed presence in the audience. This was her day. It did not end as victoriously for him. In her interview Ms. Smith unhesitatingly declared her goal as Miss Kansas would be to “eliminate unhealthy and abusive relation-ships.” Th en she made a stunning announcement: “Some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional, because my abuser is here today, but that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and rep-resenting as the next Miss Kansas,” she continued. “I and my community deserve healthy relationships. We deserve a domestic [violence]-free life.” And she meant it. Ms. Smith later emphasized to People magazine, “As Miss Kansas, my platform is deeply rooted in empowering people to break free from cycles of domestic violence and unhealthy relationships. My answer on stage reflects my commitment to fostering a world where every individual feels safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.” She continued, “Th rough the Miss America program, I have found a powerful platform to amplify my voice and advocate for those who may feel silenced or alone,” Smith adds. “I will use my story as […]
The post SURVIVING THE ABUSE, SURVIVING THE RECOVERY appeared first on African American News and Issues.
