Aspire: The I Have The Right To Podcast
Join the I Have the Right to team and thought leaders as we Aspire to eradicate sexual assault. Inspired by Co-Founder Chessy Prout’s courageous voice and memoir, I Have The Right To- A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice and Hope, co-authored by investigative journalist Jenn Abelson, our mission is to create an ecosystem of respect, education, and support for all students! Aspire is meant to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for growth -- by offering a forum for dialogue - about issues affecting our culture and the way we live, interact, love, learn and grow. Real Men, Real Conversations: Aspire touches on both sides of the coin; Co-Founder of I Have the Right To and father of Chessy Prout, Alex Prout, and High School Student Leaders and Co-Hosts, Hugh Eastman and Gabriel Viscogliosi, share their voices with discussions about what it means to be a man- does it mean being aggressive, stoic, and not taking no for an answer? Or giving your buddy a hug and telling him you love him? Alex, Gabriel, and Hugh share how, across generations, common masculinity tropes impact us all, and how we can inspire the future to act with "aspirational masculinity". They interview guests to get their perspectives, while discussing how rigid gender norms can create harmful barriers for all. All this, and more, in “Real Men, Real Conversations”. Survivor Advocacy: In the “Survivor Advocacy” segment, Co-Founder and mother of Chessy Prout, Susan Prout, and Executive Director of I Have the Right To, Katie M. Shipp, highlight the power of survivor voices in driving meaningful change. These episodes —deeply inspired by Chessy’s unwavering courage to speak out despite attempts to silence her— amplify powerful survivor stories, engage with experts, and explore the path forward in the fight for justice and safety. Listeners will gain insight into where we’ve been, where we need to go, and how we can collectively create lasting impact. Together, we’ll explore diverse perspectives to drive meaningful, lasting advocacy and build a safer, more just future for all. We amplify survivors’ voices and address the root causes of sexual violence by creating open dialogue around its causes. Each episode features a variety of guests discussing survivor experiences, the aftermath of sexual assault, healthy masculinity, and the future we envision - free from sexual assault. Let’s explore, learn, and aspire together.
Episodes
This week’s impactful episode of Aspire features keynote speaker and resilience expert Trish Kendall, who shares her journey from childhood abuse and addiction to healing and redefining success. Hosts Katie Shipp and Chessy Prout speak with Trish about surviving the trauma and addiction that nearly ended her life by age 20. Through her story, Trish explains the five critical choices that brought her hope, trust, and a...
In this week’s episode of Aspire, former NFL defensive end James Smith Williams joins Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman for a powerful discussion about masculinity, accountability, and what it means to be a "good man" on and off the field. Known for his advocacy work through Set the Expectation and partnerships with survivor advocate Brenda Tracy, James has made it his mission to challenge the culture of ...
Violence prevention expert and author Meg Stone joins hosts Katie Shipp, Chessy Prout, and Gabriel Viscogliosi for an unforgettable conversation about reclaiming safety, autonomy, and resistance. Drawing from her new book The Cost of Fear, Meg exposes how traditional “safety” advice, rooted in fear, control, and sexism, has changed little since the 1970s, and why it continues to harm more than it helps.
Meg challenge...
On this week’s episode of Aspire, hosts Alex Prout, Hugh Eastman, and Gabriel Viscogliosi welcome Jack Spiegel, a recent graduate of Quinnipiac’s media and journalism program, accomplished photographer, and new podcast producer, for an inspiring conversation about storytelling and advocacy. Jack shares how his upbringing and core value of “repairing the world” led him to a career centered around truth-telling, account...
In this episode of Aspire, Katie Shipp and Chessy Prout sit down with Meghan Boudreau, a recent Allegheny College graduate and youth advocacy leader, for an insightful discussion about supporting young people through major life transitions. Meghan recounts her journey, sharing practical advice on navigating college, building supportive networks, and discovering her passion for advocacy through real-world experiences.<...
Guy Adami, CNBC’s Fast Money veteran and Wall Street trader, joins co-hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel Viscogliosi, and Hugh Eastman for a candid exploration of masculinity, money, and cultural change on Wall Street. Guy shares personal reflections on the pressures and rewards of working in a male-dominated trading culture, from bold risk-taking and stoicism to the slow evolution away from “bro culture.” The conversation div...
Karen Udall, program director and facilitator at I Have the Right To, joins Susan Prout and Katie Shipp to share her journey from parent to prevention advocate. After her daughter’s assault, Karen faced challenges with institutional support and healing, inspiring her to shape programs that have reached over 30,000 students, educators, and parents nationwide.
Karen shares how her experience as a mom both chall...
In today’s episode of Aspire, Co-hosts Chessy Prout and Katie Shipp welcome new Co-host Charlotte Lee, a senior at Georgetown Day School interning with I Have the Right To. They sit down with Ray Epstein, a recent Temple University grad, survivor, and campus leader.
Ray recounts her experience founding Student Activists Against Sexual Assault at Temple, and creating a supportive community on campus for survi...
In this episode of Aspire, Katie M. Shipp, Chessy Prout, and student co-host Meghan Boudreau sit down with Jess Michaels, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, an outspoken advocate, and the founder of the #WithYouToo app.
Jess shares the deeply personal story that brought her from dancer and performer to sexual assault prevention advocate. She opens up about the often-misunderstood freeze response, what it meant fo...
In this episode of Aspire, co-hosts Katie M. Shipp and Chessy Prout sit down with Renee Williams, Executive Director of the National Crime Victims Bar Association, the nation’s first and only professional association dedicated to supporting attorneys who represent survivors of crime in civil cases. Together, they discuss the challenges survivors face in navigating both the criminal and civil justice systems, as well a...
In this episode of Aspire, Co-Hosts Katie M. Shipp and Chessy Prout sit down with Dr. Mona, a board-certified pediatrician and founder of Peds Doc Talk. They explore critical issues surrounding body autonomy, emotional intelligence, and the importance of early education on consent and boundaries for children.
Dr. Mona shares practical advice for parents on how to create an environment that promotes body autonomy at ho...
In this episode of Aspire, hosts Katie M. Ship and Chessy Prout sit down with Jean Ruggiero, a passionate advocate against sexual violence and an aspiring social worker. Jean opens up about her journey from surviving sexual assault in high school to becoming a powerful voice for other survivors.
Following her trauma, Jean found unexpected comfort and support from her dog, Boo Boo. That bond sparked her interest in the ...
In this episode of Aspire, hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel Viscogliosi, and Hugh Eastman are joined by production head Ben Hudak for a powerful one-year follow-up to their original “Aspire to Lead” conversation.
They discuss stepping into leadership as high school seniors, the ongoing impact of their school’s consent and sexual assault summit, and the value of showing up as empathetic, genuine members of their community.
Ben ...
In this heartfelt episode of Aspire, host Katie M. Shipp welcomes co-host Karen Udall and special guest Dr. Stacey Hettes, professor of biology and neuroscience at Wofford College and author of the memoir Dispatches from the Couch.
Stacey shares her courageous journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and her path to healing through therapy. The discussion touches on critical themes such as the importance of supp...
In today’s episode of Aspire, hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel Viscogliosi, and Hugh Eastman are joined by Sherrie Westin, CEO of Sesame Workshop. Sherrie discusses the history and early days of the beloved children's show, Sesame Street.
The conversation explores its origins during the Civil Rights Movement and the groundbreaking use of television to educate children from all backgrounds how to be smarter, stronger, an...
In this episode of Aspire, co-hosts Katie M. Shipp, Executive Director of I Have the Right To, and Chessy Prout, Co-Founder of I Have the Right To, engage in a compelling conversation with Melissa Hoppmeyer, an experienced prosecutor and policy advocate with a strong background in criminal law, violence prevention, and legislative initiatives. She currently supports the development of the U.S. Army’s Office of Special...
In this episode of Aspire, host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, and co-hosts and high school seniors, Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman, return with an impactful and emotional discussion featuring Chris McGhee.
Chris shares his family's harrowing experience after his daughter was sexually assaulted by a school resource officer. He narrates his journey from dealing with PTSD and trauma to tak...
In this episode of Aspire, Host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, alongside Co-Hosts Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman, delve into the intricate topics of student safety, institutional accountability, and survivor empowerment. They are joined for the first time by Aspire’s producer, Ben Hudak, who is usually behind the scenes.
Highlighting the challenges surrounding traditional notions of...
In this episode of Aspire, Host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, joined by Co-Hosts and high school students Hugh Eastman and Gabriel Viscogliosi, welcome Dr. Stephen Burrell, lecturer in criminology at the University of Melbourne and Co-Host of Now and Then, a podcast exploring feminism and masculinity.
Dr. Burrell shares his journey and research on feminism, masculinity, and the prevention of violen...
In this episode of Aspire, I Have The Right To’s Founder, Chessy Prout, and Executive Director, Katie M. Shipp, join to welcome Melanie Barton — a survivor and passionate advocate for individuals impacted by childhood sexual abuse.
Melanie shares her deeply personal journey from experiencing sexual abuse at a young age to becoming a forensic interviewer and public speaker. She discusses the impact of child advocacy cen...
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