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 for her self-identity, and how reframing that experience helped her reclaim her voice. Jess also explains why understanding trauma responses, and the language we use to describe them, is critical in breaking cycles of shame and isolation for survivors.
The conversation explores the science and power of survivor support, especially in the immediate days after assault, and how tools like the #WithYouToo app aim to empower communities to respond with safety, trust, and care. Along the way, Jess highlights the wisdom and determination of Gen Z, and why their empathy and activism give her hope for real cultural change.
This episode reminds us that healing is not only individual, it’s collective. By centering survivor voices and equipping supporters with the skills to respond, we can build a future where communities are safer, more compassionate, and more resilient.
Follow Jess Michaels on instagram @jessmichaelsspeaks
To learn more about the With You Too app, follow them on instagram @withyoutooapp
Aspire is produced by Ben Hudak Productions. For more information, please visit https://www.benhudak.com/
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com