Medusa* is a resilient, courageous and compassionate woman, who is known for harnessing her personal trials and empathy to champion against injustices. Currently in her mid-twenties and residing in California, she is deeply passionate about English literature for she enjoys finding solace and inspiration within its pages. Among the diverse array of texts she has engaged in over the years, Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak” stands out as a guiding light, casting clarity upon her personal narrative. As an ardent poet, Medusa channels her experience into poetic narratives, using writing as a medium for creative expression and healing.

A part of her story that Medusa shared with us takes us back to the tender age of seventeen, when she was sexually assaulted amidst the serene backdrop of a beach. From the vantage point of her gaze, staring upward, her “No” was not taken in and her agency was taken away from her. “I felt pressured to do more,” she said, as she felt the weight of the expectation pressing down upon her, suffocating her autonomy.

In the aftermath of the assault, she found herself grappling with a profound disconnect between her body and mind. While her body instinctively and physically recognized the violence, her mind struggled to acknowledge it as such. Lacking the language to articulate and acknowledge the gravity of the experience in her mind, she felt adrift in a sea of confusion and denial. Seeking refuge, she retreated into a state of dissociation, where her mind deliberately disconnected from the distressing reality unfolding before her in her body. It was as if one part of her became detached from the pain and shame that engulfed her physical form. Even after a good while, the chasm between her body and mind remained palpable. She recalled standing in the shower, numb and disoriented, unable to reconcile the sense of disconnect. Reuniting her mind and body became an ongoing struggle, akin to the relentless erosion of the waves against a steadfast rock. Yet, with each passing day, she persisted in her efforts to integrate the fragmented pieces of her being, in order to feel safe in her body again, and slowly reclaim a sense of wholeness.

“Before that (ordeal), I was confident in my worldviews. I was confident in what I said. But after that, I think that fire inside me got put out. And I’ve been trying really hard to stoke it back up again,” she told us about her state during the aftermath.

Medusa’s art artifact gives us a glimpse of her efforts in navigating her experience. At the center of the artifact is a poem produced and handwritten by Medusa herself with the goal of unpacking her experience to be able to feel the emotions in and through her body again. Accompanying her writing are four background images created in collaboration with the HH artists Danielle Snaza and Sophie Paek. The first of the four images, which shows a beach shore (which is also the title page of the artifact), shows the setting Medusa goes to in real life to find inner peace. It reminds her of who she is at the core with her mind and body and helps her feel at home. Particularly, watching the rocks getting sanded with the waves helps her see herself navigating through the big and small waves of life. Then, the next image that follows with a pink sky above the waves represents a haven in her mind that is comparable to a bomb shelter. It represents a space of dislocated safety that she needed to survive in her mind after the ordeal. Then, the palm trees image immerses us into her experience of derealization as we are placed in a position to become overwhelmed by the palm trees from the ground as opposed to enjoying the scenery from a distance. Lastly, the image of a green hill by the beach shows us the very physical setting of Medusa’s ordeal.

Accompanying the poem and the background images is an original music composed by HH musician Sophie Paek to accentuate the fantastical elements embedded throughout the artifact. Whether it be through the use of sparkles and color choices of the waves in the background images, or the sound effect-like elements in the background music, fantasy has been an important part of Medusa’s healing journey. For fantasy doesn’t always require explanations, thinking through her experience in such a context removed the need to immediately have all the answers to her struggles and offered her a safe haven in her ongoing efforts to find inner peace.

Medusa is an advocate not only for herself but also for all other suffering individuals who have been marginalized. Currently a graduate student pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology, Medusa plans to dedicate her life to caring for the hurt.

We wish Medusa all the best on her journey, and thank her for letting us be a part of it. We hope that all who engage in her story witness the resilient, courageous and compassionate individual she is. We also hope that it encourages them to find confidence and inner peace in being the wonderful people they have always been meant to be.


*In order to remain anonymous, this woman has chosen the pseudonym Medusa.

Please click on the artifact below to play the video with audio.