What happens when you take the rifle out of a soldier’s hand and replace it with a trumpet? You don't get silence—you get a revolution.

In this episode, Tonya GJ Prince deconstructs the hidden, radical history of the Black American marching band. We go back to a time where Black men were "relegated" to the band as a form of military restriction. We explore how those ancestors refused to be dull, transforming heavy conduit poles into musical instruments and a display of style, poise, and undeniable dignity that the world had never seen.

But the music didn't just survive on the field; it survived because of the community that surrounded it. Tonya shares a deeply personal look into her own journey, honoring the specific Black women—the matriarchs and protectors—who stood as a human shield around the band members in her life.

Children cannot be protected in environments that prioritize adult comfort, reputation, and “keeping the peace” over accountability. In this episode, we break down what it means when communities, institutions, or families shield harmful adults, and why that protection always has a cost.

In this episode:

How “protecting the community” can become a cover story for enabling harm

Why reputation-management is not safeguarding

What real accountability looks like in families, institutions, and communities

James Baldwin spoke truth with courage, clarity, and uncompromising honesty — and the wisdom he left behind continues to fortify us.

So many warning words are minimized, mocked, or dismissed. In this episode, we explore what it means to stay awake in a world that gaslights urgency.

Too often, the deep reality of Black maternal death is dismissed or reframed as “race baiting” — a harmful distraction from the lived experiences of women whose lives and bodies are shaped by unequal systems of care.

Letting go is rarely just about ending something. It is about untangling hope, memory, attachment, identity, and the nervous system’s deep need for familiarity.

A conversation on staying kind without surrendering your boundaries, staying anchored in truth, and protecting your peace with clarity.

Speaking truth to power is not just courageous — it is costly.

In this first episode back after hiatus, Tonya GJ Prince talks about how the beliefs of others have been used to override consent, sovereignty, and survival.

In this episode of the We Survive Abuse Podcast, host Tonya GJ Prince shares a personal story of reclaiming power in the face of adversity. She opens up about her experience as a single mother navigating a world that often labeled her family as broken, flawed, and incomplete.

Despite the world’s judgment, she wasn’t going to let anyone define her worth."CEO of Me and My Son" was more than just a title—it was a proclamation. A way to reclaim her family’s narrative and step into her role as the architect of her life. Tonya shares how this title, rooted in self-empowerment, helped her reject societal limitations and guided her through challenges like poverty, violence, and misrepresentation.

As an advocate for survivors of violence, Tonya’s message is clear: women, especially survivors, have the right to name themselves. To call themselves queen, Survivor, or CEO—whatever title they need to own their power and survive. Through her advocacy work, Tonya empowers women to put on the armor of self-worth and fight for their own dignity.In this powerful episode, Tonya reflects on her journey, offering  insights into the process of healing, empowerment, and self-love.

She shows us that reclaiming power isn’t just about titles—it’s about embracing our full strength, regardless of how the world sees us.Tune in to hear Tonya’s message of resilience and how every woman has the right to name herself and step into her power.