Shawanna Vaughn

Shawanna Erena Vaughn is the founder and the Director of Silent Cry Inc. Native of Bakersfield CA, a mother of two wonderful individuals.

Silent Cry Inc is the product of her tears she shed while overcoming pain and hardships of incarceration and loss of a brother to gang initiation from a young man and surviving cancer. She is the true meaning of strength , courage and determination.

This is what she had to say :

I've been impacted by the aftermath of senseless violence and I'm also formerly incarcerated. With that I've turned tragedy into Healing through my pain. I now find my voice in justice and healing our communities and hearts.

My life has been a journey one that has lead me to many places and I've had the wonderful pleasure to work with Columbia business school in simulations and, reform and criminal justice issues. I'm a member of the Confined arts project. A member of Peace and Justice studies. Proud to say, May of 2019, I will be attending Columbia University. Education over adversity is a model I believe in and advocate to young people.

My greatest accomplishment is being a mother of two wonderful children. Passions are spoken word, Civic engagement, visual arts and literature.

Triumphantly I March through the battles with optimistic lenses.

I am Shawanna Erena Vaughn. And, I will continue to fight to answer Silent Cries.