Olivia Rodrigo joined Sonya Passi, founder and CEO of FreeFrom, for a public Q&A about the organization’s work with survivors of gender-based violence. Rodrigo selected FreeFrom as a nonprofit beneficiary through her Fund 4 Good initiative, which supports organizations working to prevent gender-based violence.
Their discussion took place in connection with Daisy Chain Fields, Rodrigo’s all-women music festival at Great Park in Irvine, California.
Olivia Rodrigo and Sonya Passi discuss survivor support and healing from gender-based violence
Rodrigo asked Passi about the belief that gender-based violence cannot be completely eliminated. Passi said people needed to believe change was possible because thinking otherwise could stop them from taking action.
Passi said helping survivors reach safety could prevent further harm and affect the experiences of their children. She said children no longer growing up around violence could break a generational cycle.
Rodrigo also asked what people watching could do to support survivors. Passi encouraged people to check on someone they believed might be experiencing harm and offer to listen or help. She said remaining silent because of concerns about saying the wrong thing could contribute to loneliness and isolation.
She also addressed the responsibilities of voters and employers. Passi encouraged voters to question elected officials about their actions for survivors. She said employers could consider what benefits and protections they offer workers who experience this type of harm.
When Rodrigo asked how her daughter had affected her work, Passi said she had worked to address gender-based violence since age 16. She described the work as part of healing her own trauma and generational trauma in her family. After becoming a mother three and a half years ago, she said the work took on a more personal significance as she focused on her daughter’s safety.
FreeFrom celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Passi said the organization had surveyed nearly 10,000 survivors about their needs, experiences and visions for the future. She said those accounts had created a body of work that the federal government, cities, states and survivors had drawn from.
Passi also discussed Gifted by FreeFrom, the organization’s social enterprise. Survivors make every product sold through its online store and run its operations, including inventory, customer service, social media, packaging and shipping. She said the employees earn a living wage ranging from $38 to $48 an hour.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM OLIVIA RODRIGO AND SONYA PASSI’S CONVERSATION ABOUT SUPPORTING SURVIVORS?
