Heart Talk is small gathering aimed at building deeper connections amongst women. Behind the food, laughs and conversations were women leaning into the untapped potential. Every gathering is centered around a topic and a visual aid to accompany that topic.

For our very first gathering we focused on realities women faced around the world, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo. We watched a documentary called City of Joy. A place where women who’ve suffered brutal rapes at the hands of violent militias can find safety, comfort, and recovery. This Netflix documentary captures these survivors’ lives and recovery process, showing how they slowly rebuild their lives after trauma.

An eye-opening documentary; we sat in tears and heartbreak. And like Christine said, “We want to shake the world.” Women are a force; when you destroy them, you destroy the community. As a Congolese, the reality of sexual violence in a war-torn Congo brought shivers down my spine. Yet the strength and perseverance that the women at City of Joy held cut through our hearts. They shared their stories, with bravery and hope. The tragedy which had passed would not be their lives’ conclusion. City of Joy helps women to heal from physical and emotional trauma by teaching them to celebrate their lives through writing, public speaking, self-defense, business expertise and more.

“Women have great power. Women are constantly abused. Sexual violence is a universal problem and if you haven’t noticed-WAKE UP. Joy is contagious; pain doesn’t last forever. And the women of City of Joy have shown me that there is nothing more beautiful than women helping one another.”– Anon

“After watching City of Joy, it just remined me of the evil and corruption that exists in this world. It disgusts and upsets me that there are people that do unspeakable things. My hearts hurts and I fear for the people who threatened by this or have gone through tis. There is hope though. We feel helpless, but we have more power than we realize. It can start with something simple, we just need the initiative, awareness and patient to make things go into motion.”- Anon

“I have no words. My heart hurts. The very thing God has blessed us with, to be the giver of life is being used against these women as a tool of destruction and control. I’m hurting because as an American, as an enabler, I am part of the problem. Bust what can I do to fix this? How can I be part of the solution? God, my prayer is that you can change hearts and minds. Your people are suffering a great deal. I am at a loss for words.”-Anon

We’re going to shake the world. We are going to shake our community and city, one person at a time. City of Joy has taught us how to cherish those around us; every woman’s experience is valid. And sexual violence deserves no place in this world!