About Claudia Barker
I’m Claudia, a writer, youth advocate, and nonprofit leader born and raised in New Orleans. I’m currently at work on a memoir about my sexual abuse by a trusted high school teacher; why, at 63, I outed him on the front page of a major newspaper decades after it happened; and the impact that had. I’m also creating the soon-to-be-launched website Minors Can’t Consent, which will offer survivors of sexual abuse and those who love them a space to share their stories and form community.
I also write articles about the challenges young people face as they navigate a dangerous world, like this one that recently appeared in The Lens.
Writing = Power
A key theme in my writing is the power of the written word. Six years of compulsively detailed daily diary entries from my teenage years convinced the newspaper of the truth of my story. The powerful 2,500-word article written by the paper’s crime reporter started a public conversation about teachers and others in authority abusing students and how we might prevent that from continuing to happen. Telling my story to the newspaper, and in my own OpEd a week later, describing grooming and defining statutory rape, led other survivors of sexual abuse to share their stories with me, and some publicly. Hundreds of people contacted me and commented on my story, and we educated thousands of newspaper subscribers about sexual abuse. Writing has power.
Awareness → Change
“Claudia Barker Writes: Reflections from a Relentless Optimist” will offer my occasional musings on the ever-changing social and political landscape that surrounds us. I hope to raise awareness about issues affecting people who are particularly vulnerable — children, youth, LGBTQ+ folks, and anyone who is not white and male. As you have no doubt seen within the first weeks of the new administration, we are entering stormy waters and we will need to stick together to help one another navigate them and (hopefully) stay afloat.
Why Relentless Optimism?
Because being hopeful gives us the motivation we need to do the work, to resist tyranny, to build community, and to effect change. The many messages I received when I went public with my story of abuse, as well as the purple irises in a pickle jar and several orchids deposited that day on my front porch, convinced me that our voices matter and that most of us care deeply about protecting vulnerable people from harm. Writing about what happened to me has been an important part of my healing journey. My hope is to share stories that will inspire us to connect with one another, amplify our voices, and honor the inherent worth and dignity of all.
I look forward to being in touch, hearing from you, deepening relationships, and widening the safety net of our beloved community.
– Claudia
Learn More
Learn more about Claudia’s writing at www.claudiabarker.com and about her project, Minors Can’t Consent, at www.minorscantconsent.com.
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