A self-proclaimed ARTivist, Jodie Ortega’s artistic activism can be found at the intersection of Hip Hop and Hope. As a product of childhood sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, Jodie has flipped the narrative of victim hood into advocacy, championing for survivors of sexual violence while continuing to break her own silence through her own poetry and digital storytelling. Since breaking her silence publicly in 2012, she has spoken in Toronto and San Francisco, and her work has been recognized by Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter and has caught the attention of the Greater L.A. Chapter of the US National Committee for UN Women. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram under @dontrunbabygirl and her TEDx talk can be found on YouTube. She is a proud volunteer at SNAP Vancouver (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).
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The talk — BIL 2015 Vancouver
Everyone at one in their lives, will be affected by sexual violence. No one is exempt. I will focus on interpersonal trauma, shame, stigma of male sexual abuse and how Hip Hop has sustained me - particularly one song that pushed me to give another form of therapy a try. I would like to share two rap pieces (one verse) from that song and one I have written myself.
Talks
- Breaking My Silence: Artistic Activism — BIL:Vancouver 2016 ▶ video