Uniting for Impact: California Survivor Coalition Takes on Capitol Hill

Sep 7

2 min read

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Yesterday was one of those days that reminded me exactly why the California Survivor Coalition™ exists, and just how powerful survivor leadership becomes when we move together.

We began our Survivor Advocacy Day gathered in one of the conference rooms at the Capitol Swing Space, nearly 20 survivor leaders and allies from across the state coming together before dividing into teams and heading into Assembly and Senate offices for a full day of meetings about our priorities for the year ahead.

Before we headed out, we were incredibly honored to have Assemblymember Maggy Krell and Senator Shannon Grove spend time with our coalition. They shared encouragement, practical insight, and a few pointers for some of our newer members preparing to walk into legislative meetings for the first time. Having leaders who understand the importance of survivor-informed policy invest in the next generation of advocates meant so much to us.

Our lunch together was another special part of the day, generously sponsored by the California Massage Therapy Council. We were especially grateful to Ahmos Netanel, CEO of CAMTC, who cleared his schedule to spend the day with us. His insight, partnership, and strategic perspective throughout our meetings brought tremendous value as we discussed not only where we are going legislatively, but how we can work together to address exploitation across California.

And somewhere between the meetings, the hallway conversations, the laughter, the strategizing, the hurried walks between offices, and sitting around the table together, I found myself looking at this coalition and thinking:

This is the dream.

What began as a vision for survivor leaders across California to have a unified voice in policy has grown into something incredibly special. Nearly 30 of us now, representing different communities, organizations, experiences, regions, and areas of expertise, yet united around a common purpose.

There is something beautiful about organic unity. No one has to force it. No one has to manufacture it. When people genuinely believe in the mission, respect one another's strengths, and are willing to lock arms around a shared purpose, mountains begin to move.

And somehow, instead of leaving days like this exhausted, we leave invigorated.

More determined. More connected.

More convinced than ever that survivor voices belong in the rooms where laws are written, systems are shaped, and decisions are made about the communities we serve.

I am incredibly proud of how far the California Survivor Coalition has come...and even more excited about where we are going.

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