I am inexperienced with arranging my own public speaking events so I do apologize for this if it isn’t conventional. My name is Grace Williams I am a gun violence victim as of November 25th 2025, a stray bullet went into my left hand and I had to make the decision myself to amputate my index finger. I also have extensive childhood trauma and a rather unique life experience that has blessed me with an understanding that has positively influenced my mental health and future. I have a burning desire to influence even one person with the perspective and understanding on life that I’ve gained from the unique experiences I’ve been blessed to live through. A few things to mention about myself that I find will influence your decision to accept me. I graduated high school at 15 years old with college credits, a trade license in healthcare and a full time job, only one years difference from being on probation for my substance abuse problems ages 11-14. The substance abuse problems persisted into adulthood, my need to mature in my adolescence came from my family’s need to survive. I was my mothers therapist through my eldest brothers overdose/death in 2023, my younger brother receiving a life sentence at 19 years old, (following my father) my eldest sibling admitting herself to the clinic for her addiction, and my three youngest siblings spending their first years in foster care I will begin with that for the family aspect. From 15 to 21 I’ve experienced many deaths, many difficult situations I’ve had to lead as a nurse, While fighting a domestic violence relationship that I found the strength to leave Sep. 2025 and begin sleeping in my car, which was a blessing of safety for me, when I unfortunately got shot by a stray bullet in a freak accident two months later the day before thanksgiving. I had aspirations, I was in school for allied healthcare and had a nursing contract set to begin in California two weeks from the date I was shot. This experience has blessed me somehow with purpose, fulfillment, motivation, self worth, I know my path now. I’ve struggled with self worth since a very young age, not knowing what it felt to have it made me not realize how much it influenced my every day life, or that I had the option to change it, blew my mind when I found out. Every day felt like a burden I felt like a burden-time felt as if it lasted too long, I dreaded the thought of living to an old age in elementary school, what a poor baby I was. I have overwhelming empathy and understanding for those with similar issues regardless of where they stem from, and I have such an urge to share what I’ve learned from my experiences and how I correlate it into my healing journey. It truly does take one word to change someone’s perspective on life and that ripple of influence is the beauty of human nature. Nothing happens to me everything happens for me, we do not learn when we are comfortable and negative experiences/emotions are blessings of knowledge if we use them to our advantage. Thank you