We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michelle DiMuria. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michelle below.
Michelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
Warning Possible Triggers:
In 2017, I was finishing up my master’s degree in Criminal Justice through ASU online and I had just won a pitchfork award for best educational program from my mental health awareness week. I felt like I was on top of the world, when everything came crashing down in May of 2017. Without going into too much detail, my family and I tragically lost two important people, my aunt and uncle. It almost didn’t feel real at the time. Here I was getting ready to graduate with my master’s degree and my world shattered once again. I remembered everything that happened to me when I was sexually assaulted (raped). Attempting to process what had happened to me, I began working on my Pave the Way: Mental Health Summit. It was a huge success, with over 700 people in attendance and 50+ vendors/exhibitors. I knew this is where I belonged, in the mental health community.
Fast forward to October 2017, when I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I knew a little about PTSD, but not a lot. A friend of mine, at the time, was living with it. Putting one foot in front of the other, I took a risk, and I began to share my story with others. The reaction that I got, broke my heart, to the point I actually contemplated suicide. Somehow my guardian angel, saved me and I knew what I needed to do. In 2018, the BEE Daring Foundation was created. The first civilian mental health organization. Dedicated to changing the conversation about mental health, one story at a time. Changing the perception of how people see us as individuals.
I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, Afterall, I’d never ran my own business before. But I was ready to take the risk, put in the work and do my part in helping the mental health community. While this journey over the past three and a half years hasn’t been an easy one, there is nowhere else I’d rather be. In fact, we are getting ready to celebrate year 4, this June. Yes, there were times I’ve really struggled, to the point, I attempted to take my life. Some might say I attempted to take the easy way out, by attempting to take my life, but when the world sees you as a weakness or doesn’t understand what you’ve been through or doesn’t want to understand it breaks your heart. But I soon realized I couldn’t leave; I had a job to do. I needed to share my story and use my experience to help others. Letting them know they’re not alone in this world. While I may not have all the answers as a civilian, a woman who has experienced so much over the past 6 years since my nightmare began, I will always be here to listen! I will always do my best to help individuals find resources and support them to the best of my ability. Sometimes we just need someone to listen to our story. I absolutely love what I do, and I look forward to the future. The best is yet to come.
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
I was a college student at the time, finishing up my master’s degree in Criminal Justice. I had completed two bachelor’s degrees the year before, one in Criminal Justice and the other in Psychology. I was on the road to becoming a criminal profiler, that was my goal at the time. I was running a successful student organization working on bringing awareness to mental health. Along with bridging the gap between college students and law enforcement with our semesterly Coffee with a Cop. Being a mental health advocate and providing as many resources as I possibly could at the time was my focus. In May 2017, my aunt and uncle, were tragically taken from us and in that same month, I remembered everything that happened to me when I was raped. Everything changed for me, when I woke up from my nightmare and was actually living in it. My nightmare was my rape, and to this day, it’s still difficult at times sharing my story. But I continue to push forward, doing my part to move the needle when it comes to mental health.
In 2018, I got to work and created my foundation, the BEE Daring Foundation. I was so proud of myself, especially with everything that happened the year before. I felt a sense of peace and I knew exactly what I wanted to accomplish with my foundation, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was ready for the challenge. This was my life’s work; I was both nervous and excited, but I knew I needed to move forward. My aunt and uncle wouldn’t want me to succumb to my nightmare. I could and can still feel their love every single day, I know they are proud of me for not giving up, even when I wanted to. They are just two of the many individuals who never gave up on me. I have an amazing group of people I can always count on.
What is the BEE Daring Foundation?
The BEE Daring Foundation’s audience is primarily parents, high school and college students, athletes, and healthcare workers, but our reach goes far beyond that. We are the first Civilian Mental Health Organization to focus on changing the conversation about mental health. Changing the perception of how people see us as individuals. As founder and CEO, I know firsthand what it is like living with a mental illness. Diagnosed in 2017 with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, I remember how scared I was. The repercussions of sharing my story for the first time drove me to contemplate suicide in October of 2017. Building my roadmap and creating my BEE Tribe (my support system) saved my life.
We’ve expanded this past year, by creating the BEE University: Be a student of change, growth, and aspirations, one conversation at a time.
Our mission is to inspire others and grow our diverse community, who share a common goal; to change the conversation, shed labels, break down barriers, and eliminate the stigma around mental health. We show people they are not alone by providing the tools and support to help them find their worth, value, and their gifts to give to society.
Using the Bee University platform, a place to access resources such as books, videos, pdf’s, tips, recipes, music, movies and much more provides members with a safe place to seek the means for a better tomorrow.
Everything is here to help you grow and become who you are meant to be. If it’s not here, we will help you find what you need to continue your roadmap to mental wellness. It is not a one size fits all. In fact, it is not a cure. It is a program where you can create a custom design from a treasure trove of educational and inspirational tools to level up your health and wellness.
We do not offer professional or clinical services in mental health. We are here to help you find your community. Whether that be happiness, prosperity, and peace or the knowledge that you belong, and you are worthy and appreciated. Let’s change the conversation first, by talking about what’s good, courageous and strong about who we are, and releasing the burden of negativity and limiting beliefs.
Over the past three and a half years, I have talked to people all over the world. I’ve successful planned and executed 5, Pave the Way: Mental Health Summits. The first one in 2017, helped guide me to where I am today. Launched two podcasts, and I’m getting ready to launch a new one about sports and mental health. Watching the Arizona Cardinals saved my life. Created a digital mental health magazine, that is now expending into two new ones. One for athletes and one for businesses that want to help change the conversation about mental health. Embracing my diagnosis by launching our #DontTurnAway campaign. A campaign for individuals to share their stories and remind us to take a risk and get to know someone. I could have easily ended my life and taken the easy way out, instead, I turned my tragedy into a success story, and I wanted to do that for others by giving them the tools they need to build their virtual toolbox. I cannot wait to see what is next for me and my foundation.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When the pandemic first happened in 2020, I did my first virtual live that September. It was a workshop called, “Through the eyes of a survivor,” and it was by far one of the hardest things I’d ever done in my life. I was used to sharing my story, but not on a live on Facebook, in front of the world to see. I was a basket of nerves, to the point, I almost backed out and didn’t do it. Taking a few deep breathes, I called my “sister” and asked her for some advice. She always knows how to calm me down and help me through my darkness days. After talking to her, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I got ready and I did my live and I am so happy that I did. After I was done, I had an individual message me, telling me thank you. This individual was on the verge of taking her own life and after hearing my story she realized she wasn’t alone in this world. It was a lot to take in, but it reminded me once again what my purpose was in life. While I’m not a professional, who can help individuals treat their mental health, I am a woman who can provide my own personal insight into what it’s like being both a survivor of rape and suicide. A woman who lives with PTSD, running her own organization. A woman who continues to strive and push forward one day at a time.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One lesson I had to unlearn is asking people for help. In the beginning of my journey, I started out asking for help when I hit rock bottom and ended up down the rabbit hole. But the response was negative, and people didn’t want to take the time to listen. It frustrated me; I couldn’t understand why people weren’t there for me when I needed them. I eventually stopped asking people for help when I was struggling. Hid from the world, all the pain I was in when my PTSD was triggered. The nightmares that overtook my mind, it was something I will never forget. Over the past year, I started asking people for help when I needed it. It hasn’t been easy, there are days, I worry I will end up down the rabbit hole once again. Days I worry people won’t come through for me from both a personal and professional component. Every day I write down what I am grateful for, and I know who I can turn to when things take a turn for the worse. It means so much to me to have my BEE tribe, both personally and professionally now. I know I can count on those few individuals when I need them the most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beedaringfoundation.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beedaringfoundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeeDaringFoundation/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdimuria/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bee_daring
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR7eQeZZ-u12RVM-MVGkK-w
- Other: https://beeu.beedaringfoundation.org/
Image Credits
Some photos were taken by me. MISGIF