The exact time and place when I finally felt empowered in my sexuality and liberated from my trauma. But there isn’t one moment in my timeline, and my healing journey continues to this day.
Life is a culmination of those small moments of healing, not just one single event.
One of those moments happened when I was 15 years old and I testified as a witness against my sexual abuser in front of a judge. It was the first time I publicly released my truth into the world. And the first time I shared my story, beginning the long messy journey of healing.
This was the moment I first felt the power of my voice.
I spent years deep in healing,
Shout out to 15 year old me. I thank her frequently as I have gotten older as my adult self knows that day I shared my story was one of the most courageous things I have ever done. It was the turning point that opened the door to my conscious and unconscious life-long journey of healing.
I became the first in my family to graduate from college at Cal State University of Fullerton with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services, where I studied mental health issues and social work.
After college I trained with Community Service Programs Inc. to volunteer as a Rape Crisis Counselor which began my advocacy work against sexual violence.
I eventually went on to pursue a Master’s degree at the University of San Diego studying Peace and Justice, specializing in gender based violence and restorative justice.
Once I moved to the Bay Area I completed an 80hr Rape Crisis Counselor training with San Francisco Women Against Rape.
Most recently I became a Certified Sex Educator through San Francisco Sex Information.
How did I become
Sex Positive Asian Auntie?
I spent nearly a decade of my education and work understanding the dynamics of trauma, but never quite understood what it took to actually feel safe, let alone feel pleasure. When I thought about all of the people I knew who were dealing with the same issues as me:
Questioning their sexuality, resisting the hetero-patriarchy, attempting to heal old wounds, wanting to have healthy relationships and wanting to have sex without being slut-shamed for it…
I thought about what 15 year old Jayda would have needed growing up when she sat on the witness stand.
She needed a compassionate, non-judgemental auntie who made her feel safe. So that's what I became.
