I published an essay at HuffPost about being a survivor of the troubled teen treatment industry (TTI). I contrasted my experience (New Horizons Youth Ministries/ Escuela Caribe) with the programs explored in Paris Hilton’s new documentary, This Is Paris.
Until now, Paris wasn’t really on my radar. My idea of celebrities are the writers Jesmyn Ward and Kiese Laymon. My idea of chilling is going on hikes. However, I do remember reading years ago that Paris was a TTI survivor, specifically of Provo Canyon.
Both Provo Canyon and my school, then called Caribe Vista, were censured in the same Congressional report back in 1979.
I talk about how the schools, which are based on a cult that got its methodology from CIA brainwashing techniques (I’m not even kidding), operate, the political ties that keep them from being regulated (looking at you Pence and Romney), and how your tax dollars pay for migrant children and foster kids to be incarcerated in these programs.
My housefather forced me into a stress position my second night in the DR. I was incarcerated on that particular campus for 18 months.
I also wrote about watching This Is Paris (directed by Alexandra Dean/Bombshell: the Hedy Lamarr Story) and reading about dehumanization in Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste here
If you like the essay, please share. I’d love to interact on Instagram or Twitter.
Survivors, we are uniting at #BreakingCodeSilence. Please find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Also, check out #iseeyousurvivor on Instagram and Facebook. We’d love for you to be with us there.