To start, you should know I am a Buddhist, trauma-informed JD who is also a MSW candidate returning to my academic environment in mid-2027. I am neither a practicing attorney nor a licensed social worker; I am a hyper-educated, fiercely dedicated advocate who knows how to leverage systems to create real social change.
Whether you met me during the three years I ran the front desk at the South Bend Center for the Homeless on weekends at age 21; during my street advocacy helping launch the 501(c)(3) arm of Church Lady and Friends Outreach Ministries; as an ICLEO Fellow or legal peer during my JD program; through my work as the Director of Advocacy and Development for Specialty Homes; or through my anti-human trafficking work with Polaris and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit—one thing precedes me: the audacious nature in which I get things done, and the terrifying speed with which I execute them.
The second thing people quickly learn about me (which reconciles my relentless work ethic with reality) is that I am the textbook definition of chronic illness and neurodivergence. Diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s in 2011, many watched me fight (and win) a battle against a Traumatic Brain Injury after a freeze-and-fall a week before my final law school exams. I graduated law school from an electric wheelchair in 2018 while being told I would never walk again. It’s 2026, and I am now permanently an ambulatory wheelchair user.
Recent years finally brought clarity to my mystery symptoms: I have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), MCAS, POTS, Hereditary Alpha-Tryptasemia Syndrome, and Kounis Syndrome. And in 2026, untangling those conditions revealed what had actually been there all along: Cerebral Palsy. Add in my Autistic savant systemizing and timeline indexing, and you get a brain built for rapid, high-bandwidth architecture.
My original plan was a 10-year timeline to break ground on a sanctuary. The universe laughed, opened a door early, and compressed 10 years into RIGHT NOW.
When St. Joseph County put the historic 110-acre Portage Manor Estate up for bids, I didn't wait 5 years to start writing grants. I sat down from my bed-office and spent 6 hours downloading a complete multi-million-dollar economic, legal, and operational framework to secure the land, protect its trees, and build The Labyrinth Initiative & Camp Lily Pads.
This isn't a pipe dream for 2036. This is an active bid in 2026.
The Master Plan (Redefined)
Phase 1: Secure the Land & Establish the Anchor (2026 – 2027)
Secure Portage Manor: Submit the official proposal and mobilize community, petition, and civic support to secure the 110-acre estate.
The 99-Year Economic Engine: Execute a 99-year NNN lease on ~28 acres for a major resort like Great Wolf Lodge (generating 700 construction jobs, 500 permanent jobs, and ~$33M in regional economic impact) to permanently fund the nonprofit’s base operating expenses without relying on collapsing federal grant cycles.
Begin revitalizing the Portage Manor estate while keeping its original Historic charm. (Minus the jail cells in the basement -- those need to go.)
St. Andrews Academy begins renovating Hamilton School.
Phase 2: Academic & Institutional Expansion (2027 – 2029)
Academic Return: Return to IUSB to complete my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree while integrating practicum placements directly on-site at Portage Manor, preparing individual rooms, and outfitting the rooms with supplies, not just walls.
UN NGO Alignment: Scale the Labyrinth Initiative’s advocacy to secure United Nations NGO Consultant status, allowing us to consult globally on trauma-informed policies and advocate on the UN floor for pre-2000 TVPA survivors, HUD allowances, and universal design.
Grassroots Incubator: Launch the 5-suite nonprofit incubator corridor in the rear of the main facility, offering $1/year leases and startup support to grassroots, survivor-led agencies.
Start accepting survivors once it is safe to do so (this will require Board approval).
Phase 3: Scaled Impact & Global Advocacy (2030 and Beyond)
Complete LLM in Human Rights: Solidify our global legal and consulting capabilities.
Replicate & Scale: Take the self-funding business model developed at Portage Manor to help surrounding regions (like Niles and Elkhart) develop emergency housing, food desert solutions, and community sanctuaries.
Then I'll breathe, vibe from my wheelchair, and become the absolute best anti-trafficking advocate and Buddhist Snoop Dogg gone Bow Wizzle that I can be.
Because as Ram Dass said — we’re all just walking each other home, anyways.
And while my feet might be tired, it’s Wheels Up in this era. 🖤
If you missed it before: you can sign my petition here to show community and global support!
You can also learn more about my official proposal here.