We All Have Something to SpeakUp About

The Speak Up Story

Growing up, I wasn’t encouraged to speak up and use my voice. Anytime I did, my mother made me feel like my emotions and thoughts were stupid. I was always told to “keep quiet” and “suck it up.”

Because of this, I became the quiet girl who kept to herself and never spoke up about anything. So when two family members sexually abused me, I didn’t tell anyone. I buried it because I feared getting in trouble for speaking up and because silence and turning a blind eye to sexual abuse were sadly the norm in my family.

The pain of being sexually abused had a significant effect on me. I became sad, scared of the world, depressed, and sometimes suicidal. I self-isolated a lot because I didn’t know how to be around people. I didn’t know whom I could trust.

How I Spoke Up

About a decade later, I found myself really struggling. I couldn’t carry the weight of it all anymore, so I spoke up.

As scary as it was, I was so relieved afterward. And I realized that so much of the pain I’d been carrying had been released when I decided to use my voice.

Soon after that, I began seeking help in the form of weekly therapy and group retreats. One day, while I was on a group retreat in Ireland, someone asked the question,
“If you were to die tomorrow, what would your one last message to the world be?” I didn't know the answer at the time, but the question stuck with me.

A few days later, while hiking through the hills of Ireland, I started thinking about my life. I thought about my biggest regret: not speaking up when I was being sexually abused as a child/teen because I hadn’t been taught to speak up.

I found myself wishing I could go back in time to tell my younger self to speak up. While it may be too late to rewrite the past and tell my younger self to speak up, it’s not too late to use my voice and share my experiences to help and support others to speak up.

That's Why I Created SpeakUp Voicewear

And this is how the idea of SpeakUp Voicewear came about, on a hill in Ireland, sparked by a single question. So, if I were to die tomorrow, my final message to the world would be: Speak up.

I believe in the power of speaking up. I believe there’s healing in using our voices and sharing our stories, not just for ourselves but for others as well. Had I remained silent, I’d still be drowning in the pain, and I don't know if I’d be here right now.

I know there are others like me, suffering in silence and afraid to speak up. That’s why my goal with Speak Up Voicewear is to encourage others to boldly use their voices, to speak up not only about sexual abuse but also in daily life.

Speak up in the home, the workplace, and social settings.

Speak your feelings.

Speak your thoughts.

Speak your emotions.

Speak up for yourself.

Speak up for others.

You don’t have to suffer in silence.

You are worthy of being heard, and your voice matters

The Open Circle Logo

About nine months after my Ireland hill moment, I found myself bored on a Covid day, so I started sketching.
I drew a circle and traced that circle over and over while reflecting on my journey and childhood.
Then I erased part of it, leaving an open gap.
To me, the gap represented breaking the cycle of silence and repression.
The teal is aligned with the color of sexual abuse awareness.
And the symbol is an chat bubble, reminding us to speak up.

I instantly fell in love with the symbol and soon after I started designing wristbands - wristbands that bond people together, empowering each of us to always to speak up.

Each wristband has words of inspiration printed on it because inspirational words, positive messages, and optimistic thoughts are what got me through my childhood of sexual abuse.
They gave me hope for better days and kept me sane. 

I hope these wristbands will bring you motivation, inspiration, hope, and joy in the good and bad times. May they encourage you to believe in yourself and dream big.

But above all, may they be a daily reminder to use your voice, because we all have something to speak up about.

To loving and believing in yourself

~Jack