I first came to Safe Horizon during the early stages of the pandemic. It was a turning point in my life.

My son, Chosen, was just 11 months old and I was doing everything I could to stay healthy and strong for him, when the world outside felt incredibly unsafe.

My ex-partner, who had a history of violence toward me, was harassing me relentlessly. He psychologically abused me – even when he was incarcerated, he admitted he used to have my house watched. He always found ways to keep me in constant fear.

Then I found out he was getting out of prison. This wasn’t just a piece of bad news; it was a real threat to my life. Knowing what he was capable of, remembering the terror of his hands around my neck, I feared for my safety and my son’s life. I knew I had to leave.

Panicked, I called Safe Horizon. But as soon as I spoke to an advocate, I began to calm down. A weight I had been carrying started to lift.

The very next day, a friend picked Chosen and me up, and we went to Lang House, a Safe Horizon domestic violence shelter.

Finding Safety in a Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Shelter

When I arrived at the domestic violence shelter with my son, a few belongings, and my sketchbook, we were treated with care and instantly felt safe. The space was clean and so comforting. They provided us with food and essentials. For the first time in years, I felt free.

Our neighborhood was filled with art galleries, and as I walked past them, I saw art hanging in those spaces – I knew that was where I wanted to be someday. One day, the shelter held a group art therapy workshop.

When I grabbed my sketchbook during those panicked moments before leaving my home, it was with the hope that I might find enough peace to pursue my art—a passion that had felt impossible before. From the moment I joined the support group at the shelter, I started to come back to life.

Healing Through Art and Community

The shelter helped me move into my own apartment with Chosen and I was able to start rebuilding my life.

Soon after, Safe Horizon reached out to me to share my experience as part of The Things We Carry campaign. They wanted to feature my artwork. I was so excited.

Celines’ art is featured in The Things We Carry photography gallery and tells her story to attendees.

Last October, as I stepped out of the cab, the first thing I saw was a picture of my artwork hanging in The Things We Carry gallery. The gallery was part of Safe Horizon’s campaign, which visually explores the emotional journeys survivors like me carry with us as we start healing.

It was a dream come true. Art, for me, is more than just seeing it on display—it’s been a way to reconnect with myself, express my emotions, and begin healing.

Safe Horizon gave me the gift of healing, and it’s what I carry with me now. Today, I’m studying art therapy because I want to give others what Safe Horizon gave me: the chance to heal, the opportunity to reconnect with my passion, and the possibility of a healthy life for my son and me.

To learn more about The Things We Carry campaign, click here.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

– Celines