Today was nothing short of monumental. I had the incredible honor of speaking at the FINS Conference as part of a collaborative presentation led by Judge Michelle Breaux, who aptly named our session “It Takes a Village.” And today, our village showed up—in full force.
While I often speak publicly about youth advocacy, today’s message felt different. It was personal. With my daughter Melani’s permission, I was able to share a piece of our journey—one that has been marked by resilience, growth, and deep understanding.
Melani has selective mutism and severe social anxiety. For years, I knew she was shy, but I didn’t fully grasp the intensity of her anxiety until everything came to a halt when she was 14. For a month, she completely shut down—unable to communicate with anyone, including me.
That time was incredibly difficult. I was also navigating my own struggles with anxiety. But I knew I had to find her the support she needed. We traveled to Michigan to see a specialist, and that decision changed the course of her life. With compassion and guidance, that specialist helped Melani begin to find her voice.
But the healing didn’t stop with her.
Melani and I walked through our mental health journeys side by side. We supported one another through treatment, setbacks, and recovery. In many ways, we held space for each other when we couldn’t always hold it for ourselves. I am truly grateful to her—for her strength, her love, and her support.
And today, she continues to rise.
She’s graduated high school. She starts community college this fall. And today—on the same day I spoke about the importance of helping our youth find their voice—she achieved one of her biggest personal goals: earning her driver’s license.
Talk about full circle.
I’m deeply grateful to Melani for allowing me to share our story. This journey hasn’t been easy, but we’ve walked it together—and we’ve both grown healthier and stronger because of it.
As part of today’s presentation, I joined an incredible team: Judge Michelle Breaux, Will Keaty as Juvenile Assistant District Attorney, myself as Juvenile Public Defender, Mary Leblanc as FINS Coordinator, Megan Harrison as Drug Court Coordinator, Melissa Keller as Truancy Officer, and a courageous young adult who once faced the system and now owns his own successful lawn care business. Together, we represent the collective care and commitment that it truly takes to serve our youth.
As a public defender, I don’t take lightly the responsibility of helping our youth be seen, heard, and supported. Today reminded me that our impact is greatest when we work together—with compassion, collaboration, and care.
Thank you to Judge Breaux for including me in this powerful dialogue, and to the FINS program for being so open and receptive. I look forward to continuing this important work—and sharing this message—at future conferences.
We are all still growing. Still rising. Still finding our voice.