“Turning Pain into Power”

EP 52

🎙️ Turning Pain Into Power: A Conversation with Summer Willis

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Summer Willis (@likesummerwillis), a survivor, endurance athlete, and founder of Strength Through Strides, to discuss her transformative journey from trauma to advocacy.

After surviving a sexual assault during her college years, Summer embarked on a mission to reclaim her narrative and empower others. She completed 29 marathons in a single year, including one where she carried a 45-pound mattress to symbolize the weight survivors bear . In a poignant act of resilience, she crawled 13.1 miles of the Austin Half Marathon, representing the grueling path many survivors endure . 

Summer’s advocacy extends beyond physical feats. Through her nonprofit, Strength Through Strides, she raises funds to provide counseling and transformative retreats for survivors of sexual assault .

In addition to her athletic and nonprofit endeavors, Summer is actively involved in legislative advocacy. She is championing the “Summer Willis Act” (House Bill 3073), which aims to clarify the definition of consent in Texas law, ensuring that lack of consent, especially when someone is intoxicated or unable to resist, is explicitly recognized as sexual assault .

Join us as Summer shares her story of turning pain into purpose, the importance of community support, and how she’s working to change the conversation around sexual violence.

Connect with Summer:

• Instagram: @likesummerwillis

• Website: summerwillis.com

• Strength Through Strides: strengththroughstrides.org

Need Support?

If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual assault, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Help is available 24/7.

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🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rZtIzGiiDhhaBWNcPPi44?si=c_uv1hVoQLqA8r4r7r7D5g

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-opinion-show/id1747649792

#SummerWillis #StrengthThroughStrides #TurningPainIntoPower #SurvivorStrong #EndSexualAssault #AdvocacyInAction