Lindsey Barker
Lindsey Barker made a particularly impactful speech at our recent 24th Annual Women's Advocacy Awards on June 5. We’d like to share her comments with you.
First, I want to thank God, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and Stewart Law Group for this fantastic opportunity and congratulate our award winners again. I never imagined that I, once a woman physically and mentally abused by someone I trusted, would co-chair an event to raise awareness and funds, which supports women and children in similar situations and so much more.
Twenty-three years ago, I relocated to Texas, spending three long July nights living in my hot car with my three-year-old son. Scared to death, I knew I had to protect myself legally, find a job, a place to live, and someone I could trust to watch my child.
Looking back, I wish I had known about Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. Maybe then, I might not have felt so alone or, perhaps, it wouldn't have taken me nearly two decades to rebuild my life. As a domestic violence survivor, even after my son's father went to prison, I still fought the repercussions for years to come in silence, as many survivors of tragedies do.
Today, I am the Marketing Director at Stewart Law Group, a professional published photographer, a fine art glass artist, and the founder of LB Photography & Marketing. I recently remarried, and I feel truly fortunate to no longer fight in silence and to have the courage to stand here as a survivor, warrior, and advocate.
Before you leave tonight, please consider giving what you can because you never know who around you may be fighting a silent battle, and your gift could help offer services that can change someone's life forever. Thank you for joining us this evening. If you haven't had the chance to donate yet, or wish to give again, you can still do so at give.legalaidtx.org. Together, we can make a difference.
Thank you for making this year's Women's Advocacy Awards a success. We hope to see you next year for an extraordinary 25th Anniversary event.