We were lucky to catch up with Joanne M. Cherisma recently and have shared our conversation below.

Joanne M., thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

In 2016, I started BEYOND THE ABUSE, INC.

My name is Joanne M. Cherisma, and I was in an abusive marriage for about 5 years. It was a very traumatic experience for me, but I was blessed enough to be able to get through and overcome it. One of the outlets that has helped me get through this trauma and transition to a better life was therapy.

Going to therapy helped me realize that my situation wasn’t unique. And that is when I started asking more questions such as: why is this such a taboo topic? Why are there not more people talking about domestic violence and abuse? etc… I also wanted to do more to bring awareness on this topic. That is when the idea of sharing my story and starting a non-profit organization came to me.

I not only wanted to create an organization to bring awareness on violence and abuse, but also, I wanted to show that one can thrive after being in such a situation. And that is when BEYOND THE ABUSE was born. As stated by the name, I wanted to show that life, a better life was possible beyond the abuse. And as always say ” One past doesn’t define their future” and “As long as one is breathing/alive there is always hope”. We all have the power to shift the narrative and gain control over our future.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Joanne M. Chérisma. I was born and raised in Haiti. I moved to the US after the Haitian Earthquake in 2010. I have a Bachelor of Science in nursing. I am currently residing in New York.

In 2016, I started Beyond The Abuse, Inc. in order to bring awareness on abusive relationships and provide hope, empowerment, support and confidence to the victims. And since, I have been using my voice and my writing as an outlet for those who can understand the slings and arrows of life at many speaking engagements, DV events and workshops in the United States, Canada, and Haiti.

Beyond The Abuse Inc. emerged in New York out of a pursuit to inspire and support the community, and a desire for actions to speak louder than words. At Beyond The Abuse Inc., we are driven by a single goal; to do our part in making the world a better place for all. We understand that every situation is different, and we work closely with our clients to ensure they receive the most efficient response to their needs.

In 2018, I published “I Never Thought I Would Be A Statistic” in which I shared a testimony of how I overcame an abusive marriage, and I am currently working on my second book as well as her book of poetry and journal that could be expected before the end of the year 2023.

In June 2019, I received the “Diamonds Among Us Award”. And, in October 2022, I received the “Domestic Violence Survivor Award”.

I am also currently working on a guide: Becoming Intentional, that will be published in December 2023.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I have one single goal that drives my creative journey. I would love to show everyone that it is possible to keep striving beyond trauma and abuse. I want people when they look at me to be able to tell themselves “If, she can do it, yes, I can do it as well.”

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

My business partners and I met at high school. Then, we went to different colleges in different countries, but we remained in touch.

I can’t imagine running a business with someone I didn’t know incredibly well, even though I don’t think you need to go as far as we did and choose your best friends. In our case, we did know each other very well and we just jumped into it. And it worked out very well, but I think it’s an exception rather than the rule. We were incredibly lucky it worked out the way it did.

I suspect that working with friends also only works if you have the kind of friendship that is built on trust, common values and mutual respect. It is actually the foundation of our friendship in many ways, so I think that reduces the risks involved. Personalities as well play an important role in the matter. I believe that you can’t work with anyone if you don’t get along together.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.joannemcherisma.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/joannemcherisma
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/joannemcherisma
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/joannemcherisma
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@conversationswithjo7295
• Other: www.beyondtheabuse.org www.instagram.com/beyondtheabuse www.facebook.com/beyondtheabuse https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheabuseinc.7204

Image Credits
Randolph Nazario Adama Touré