You are more than the circumstances that have made up your life so far. As a speaker, an author, a philanthropist, and a sexual assault survivor, Cindy Benezra is no stranger to understanding that every day is a chance to learn, and an opportunity for connection, both with yourself and with other people. Through speaking on the assault she survived as a young girl, and writing her experiences down in her memoir Under the Orange Blossoms: An inspirational story of bravery and strength, Cindy charges her passionate advocacy in order to bring awareness to the impact of sexual trauma, inspiring change through meaningful, often difficult conversations and system-changing discussions. She firmly believes that the role of the victim doesn't have to be one that a trauma survivor steps into, and that there are chances for different, better outcomes in the wake of disaster and hardship. We cannot change what has happened to us, but only how we react to them now, and how we let them continue to impact our lives. Cindy offers healing by sharing her own story of resilience and overcoming her early childhood trauma as means to destigmatizing therapy, assault, and mental health. She is the founder of the platform CindyTalks, where she shares healing tools and stories of hope for other trauma survivors. Cindy currently lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband and four children. When she's not speaking or making new connections, she enjoys gardening, discovering new recipes, entertaining and decorating.