Owning Our Narrative: From Victims to Victors

A negative narrative exists in our culture that shames survivors of gender-based violence. Survivors’ stories are often framed, edited, and directed by others with specific agendas—including well-intentioned people and institutions, which limits their individual and collective control and agency to tell, document, and produce their own stories on their own terms.

Prioritizing survivors’ voices and profound stories of vulnerability and nuance moves our collective understanding of this social injustice—especially in underserved and unserved communities—beyond individual stories and encourages us to connect with lived experiences and policies that impact all of our lives for better or worse. 

“Owning Our Narrative: From Victims to Victors” is designed to develop survivor leaders’ filmmaking skills through a collaborative and interdisciplinary endeavor with Pratt faculty and students. By documenting their stories of transformation and resilience, participants will explore personal, structural, and systemic challenges in combating gender-based violence and securing social justice and racial equity. The documentary film resulting from this collaborative project will be a creative expression of hope and resiliency that will be screened to individuals and groups in diverse communities across all five boroughs inNew York City.

The project will also encourage future skill development and sustainability of strength-building leadership programs at the Survivor Leadership Institute at Sanctuary for Families by providing participants with tools and resources to continue this work.