The Transformative Power of Saying “Yes” to Life’s Hardest Requests

For Allison Black Cornelius, the memories of her childhood are crystal clear. Unfortunately a big part of those memories includes the horrible trauma of child sexual abuse. It was 1972 and then, seven-year-old Allison was attending what should have been the safest of places for any child: her family’s church. Yet it was there that she met the man who would become her repeated offender. Allison travels nationally as a public speaker advocating for children and championing the importance of child abuse prevention. She is one of the most requested motivational speakers in the country and has spoken to audiences at the White House, the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center, and the United Nation’s International Women’s Summit. Allison shares her journey and the secret she discovered that has been essential to achieving her life’s goals. Her story of healing, resilience, success, and survival is a testament to the ability of the human spirit to transform tragedy into personal growth and triumph.