Volunteer Spotlight: Flor Olivo
Flor Olivo, Outreach Volunteer.
The Rape Recovery Center volunteer team consists of nearly 150 incredible individuals who give their time, talents, and passion to furthering our mission of serving survivors and educating the community about sexual violence. This month we are spotlighting our talented Outreach Volunteer, Flor Olivo
Flor has been an incredibly valuable community partner, and has consistently volunteered her time to support the Rape Recovery Center's Outreach and Education programming. Whether she is facilitating part of our 40 hour training, or collaborating with our team during community workshops, we can always find Flor sharing her expertise on the intersections of social justice and sexual violence advocacy. Thank you Flor!
What motivated you to become a volunteer at the Rape Recovery Center?
I feel like I've had a non-traditional life trajectory. I kinda do things here and there and while doing this, I met a friend who started working at the RRC. She's someone I always looked up to. If she was on board, I had to see what it was all about. When I first began my involvement, I was struggling with my own personal encounters with sexual violence. I realized I was doing more harm than good by not healing first. I distanced myself a bit and did many other things. When I reconnected with the RRC, I was in my current role at the U of U Women's Resource Center and found ways to interconnect my own healing, my community work and my professional life to remain a more sustainable partner/volunteer.
What have you enjoyed most about your time as an RRC volunteer?
The opportunity for growth and critical reflection. I also love to see for myself the story of generational healing unfold in small and large, but also consistent ways through the work that y'all do.
What is most challenging about your volunteer work at the RRC?
Remembering to disconnect and remain an individual who deserves love and compassion. I find this challenge in most community work.
Tell us a little more about how you spend your time outside of volunteering for the RRC - hobbies, passions, work, school?
My primary passion in life right now (these change with the seasons) is growth, in all the way. Spiritual, healing, knowledge, family and then also in my garden! I've recommitted to a really big garden. I also am a visual communicator so I take lots of pictures (including my garden and kids), draw things that give me peace and write/document so I can remember all of it.
You have immersed yourself in the very difficult work of addressing sexual violence. What gives you hope as you approach this work?
I have personally experienced a lot of sexual violence in my own life, through my own body but also as an ally to others. I see power in community, education and empowerment opportunities. This gives me hope. Most recently, seeing my own children, I have 5, creating beautiful systems of growth and accountability for themselves, gives me the most hope.
What is your message to others looking to get involved in this work, or considering volunteer work at the RRC?
I'd say, consider it. Heal from your own wounds and engage because your own freedom from sexual violence is bound with the collective. I truly, truly believe that every single living being deserves to be free of sexual violence and its repercussions.