From the Pages
A firsthand account from "Tough Skin" by Samira L. Jones
The following excerpt is taken directly from my memoir Tough Skin. These pages recount the moment everything changed, and how I survived. It is raw, painful, and necessary. I share it here for anyone who’s ever felt silenced or alone.
These pages carry truths I once held alone. Now, they’re part of a greater movement:
One voice, Many echoes.
At the time, for the purposes of this book and to maintain emotional clarity, the name “David” is used as a pseudonym in place of my stepfather’s real name, Clinton.
The events described are entirely factual. This change does not diminish the truth of what occurred, it simply protected my platform while honoring the courage it took to speak openly.
The moment I froze—when what was supposed to be trust turned into trauma. I didn't even know yet what was happening, but my spirit did.
I ran from the room, crying, trying to understand what I now knew had been abuse. And yet, even in the truth, I was still protecting others.
I didn’t just live through it. I lived beyond it. This page ends with a question meant for you: When life hits hardest, what gets you through?
The moment I froze—when what was supposed to be trust turned into trauma. I didn't even know yet what was happening, but my spirit did.
What you just read is a piece of my past, a truth I carried alone for far too long. These pages are not shared for shock, but for freedom, mine, and maybe yours too.
I was a child. I did not deserve what happened to me. And if you’ve ever lived through something like this, you didn’t either.
My silence protected others. But today, my voice protects me.
If this resonated with you, or if you're carrying pain that’s never been named, I want you to know
you are not alone. You are not to blame. And you are not without hope.