We recently connected with Neisha Himes and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Neisha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

As a domestic violence survivor, I understand what it’s like to feel like your voice doesn’t matter and that it will never be loud enough to make a difference. After leaving a 5-year long abusive relationship, I was hesitant to share my truth because of the fear of being judged, ridiculed, or worse– disbelieved. A year or so later, I decided that it was time to share my story and did so for the first time via my gift of Spoken Word poetry. Something I learned that night was that what was supposed to help me was actually helping others, too, so I began to speak out more and more.

Soon, I began to receive messages from survivors who recently left abusive situations and were looking for advice, assistance, and resources. I enlisted the help of the community and began providing support to survivors by way of securing emergency hotel lodging, toiletries, food/clothing, etc. I had no idea at the time that this would be the beginning of my advocacy journey.

Wanting to do more, I began seeking employment within local shelters, community organizations, and government agencies working in the realm of DV crisis intervention and criminal justice. Though I was knowledgeable and passionate about the cause, I found it hard to break into the field as it was determined (more than once) that I didn’t have the “right experience” because I didn’t have a degree.

But I lived it. Not only did I LIVE it, I SURVIVED it.

After more rejections than I can count, I founded G.R.O.W. Foundation (Girls Recognizing Our Worth) in 2016– a nonprofit organization assisting survivors with rebuilding their lives after abuse, along with providing community outreach and domestic violence awareness. To enact change on a larger scale, I founded Neisha Christine Consulting, LLC (dba Neisha’s Voice) in 2022, which specializes in individualized domestic violence education training, violence prevention program development consulting, and public motivational speaking services.

Neisha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Ahhh, the infamous “tell me about yourself” question (lol). Well, I grew up in Willingboro, New Jersey, and relocated to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia as an adult. I come from an extremely close-knit family and have a great support system in them, my friends, and my community. I am a person who really values the relationships I have with the people in my life. The ones I love, I hold near and dear to my heart.
Hmmm, what else? Oh—I love boxing (and I’m pretty good at it), reading, poetry, dancing, and just enjoying life to the best of my ability. I also might be a tab obsessed with chocolate chip cookies.

Lastly, I am very passionate about raising domestic violence awareness and teaching the community how to recognize the signs and use their resources to help make a difference. Above that, I truly love empowering people to see their worth and just how unstoppable they are. The way I see it, our crown matches every outfit, so why not put it on today?

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I believe that honesty, transparency, and a certain level of humility is helpful for succeeding in my field. Operating a non-profit organization, the community depends on you to be honest with them about the services you provide and how you utilize the support given to you to provide those services. Transparency regarding the ups and downs, the wins vs. the losses, and the journey through it all, shows those who look to you for guidance– whether professional or personal– that it’s ok to make mistakes and that it’s all about how you overcome adversity. As a survivor working in this industry, humility is important in that it allows you to remember why you started, maintain empathy and compassion, and stay true to your purpose. All of the above builds trust between you, your peers, and your supporters.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe the fact that I stay true to my authentic self has helped build my reputation, along with the fact that I am unapologetic about my past and do not pretend to have it all together. It is also important to me to treat others with the same respect and compassion that I expect, and people appreciate that. Lastly, I think knowing that someone has overcome something as traumatic as domestic violence and watching them use that experience to help people inspires others to believe in the mission, too.

Something my ex used to say all the time was, “Shut up, nobody cares what you have to say”, and for a long time I believed him. Then one day I found the power in speaking up and I haven’t been quiet since. This is why my motto is, “I will NOT shut up”, because I know I didn’t go through all that pain to not turn it into a purpose. I was given this voice for a reason and I’m going to use it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.growfoundationva.org and www.neishachristine.com
• Instagram: grow_va and nc_consulting_llc
• Facebook: facebook.com/growfoundationva
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/neisha-himes
• Other: Tik Tok: @neishasvoice

Image Credits
1- Sedric Johnson (standing in boxing ring)
2- Derek Reason (purple GROW hoodie)
3- Jeanita Castille (curly hair, gray shirt)