Meet: Armelle Desir!

Introduce yourself and profession to our readers: Hello my name is Armelle Desir. I am an author, victims advocate, empowerment speaker, and mentor.

What inspired you to pursue this area of interest? What inspired me to pursue this area of interest is because I was once a victim of sexual assault, and I noticed that the topic is out there, but all too often it's not talked about, especially in the black community. It's often swept underneath the rug and you are judged if you talk about it. I happened to be a black girl with parents from Haiti who went through it, so I was going to be a voice for all those victims out there especially those suffering in silence. The hardships I faced in my life stemmed from what happened to me, but I didn't let it stop me from living a life full of abundance and happiness. I want to help others, especially other victims, who have been through similar things that I've been through, have the life of abundance that they deserve despite their past circumstances. I want to be the voice for those victims who are still suffering especially those in the black community.

What advice would you share with those interested in a similar pursuit? Trust God and the process. If not, you will want to give up. Don't worry about what people have to say, you will be talked about and people may judge you, but it's not about them. Always focus on the goal and your purpose.

Discuss a professional challenge and how you overcame it: A professional challenge I faced was when I was in the process of publishing my book. It seemed as though everything was going wrong and you think it's an easy process, but it really is not. My publisher had to change the editor who was trying to change my wording and when that was resolved the final prints were still wrong. Overall, I honestly just had to trust the process and understand that even though there is a deadline, not everything goes as planned. It's better that things are done perfectly, so the message and vision can be executed the right way, rather than for it to be rushed and done incorrectly.

What is next for your brand/business in 2018? What's next for me is to start an Unleash book tour and conference in different states and spread the word about the Unleash movement. The Unleash movement is something that I started to encourage sexual abuse victim and others who have suffered hardships, to Unleash themselves from their past pains so that they can move forward in their future and live a life of abundance, peace, and happiness.

How can readers connect with you online and through social media? Readers can connect with me through social media by searching my name Armelle Desir. Facebook: Armelle Desir. Instagram: @armelledesir and Twitter: @armelledesir. Others can also visit my website at www.armelledesir.com