RECEIVED AFTER SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS on Addiction, Homelessness, and Gang Violence

To book a presentation please contact June via the user-friendly “Contact June” page on this website

 

Thank you June for coming to speak at our school yesterday.  Of course you had no way of knowing how much I was struggling but I really believe that you were sent to my school by God to help me.  You talked so much about emotional pain and how keeping secrets about what we may be going through in our lives hurts us.  You said when stuff is happening that hurts us that we  often keep it private because we are ashamed or embarrassed.  You told us that we should never be embarrassed or feel shame because we deserve to have a peaceful life.  That what others do is not a reflection on us even if we are in the same family. When our teacher said you were coming in to talk to our class about addiction and homelessness and gang violence and that you were very smart about all that, I never thought you were going to give me a roadmap about how I should live my life but you did.  I cannot tell you how much you helped me.  I feel like a whole ton of bricks just got lifted off my shoulders.  Thank you for helping me understand that I should stop blaming myself because of how other people act.  I am reading your book and it is teaching me so much about addiction that I never ever thought about. I am making a promise to you that I will talk to adults I feel safe with from now on when I am feeling sad.  Thank you June.

                                                                         ~  E. C. ~

 

You gave two presentations at our school yesterday.  After listening to your presentation I asked my teacher if I could  also sit through your presentation with the next class as well because I found it so eye-opening and inspiring.  That is something I have never ever done before.  You have a way of opening up people’s minds. Thank you for making such an impact on me.  And thank you for giving me a copy of your book.

~ Bal ~

 

Thank you June for coming to speak at our school.  You are the most compassionate person I have ever met.  Me and my friends were talking about you and your presentation all through lunch break.  Thank you for treating us all with so much respect and answering all our question.  I will never ever look at a homeless person the same ever again.  You truly opened up my heart and I will speak exactly like you showed us the next time I see  someone on the street.

                                                                      ~ Ty ~

 

 

All I can say is WOW!!  Your presentation to our class yesterday was the most powerful presentation I have ever sat through.  I learned  more in the 1 1/2 hours from you than I have learned from everything else in my entire life to date about addiction and homelessness and gang violence.  What I learned even more though from you is what  love and kindness and compassion really is. You have inspired me to be a better person and I will hold you up as my role model for life.  Thank you

  ~  Gia  ~

Thank you for coming to our school and speaking yesterday. When I listened to you talking it made me realize I was heading down a bad road. I thought when my friend asked if I wanted to join a group of people he knew it could be easy money to help my family. But hearing you talk about the gang violence made me feel really sick inside. I told my friend last night I am not interested. I think you were sent to my school so I would make a better decision.

~ Gurpreet ~

 

Thank you June for giving everyone a copy of your book after you spoke to our class. I have felt very, very sad and isolated since my father drowned because he was an alcoholic and he drowned when he passed out in a puddle of water. How awful is that? And when I told you about it and you are the first person I have even told that it was a puddle of muddy water he drowned in because I was so embarrassed but when I told you you didn’t act horrified or disgusted you just gave me the best hug I have ever gotten and you talked to me. Thank you for helping me understand addiction better and also thank you for not judging my Dad and thank you so much for giving me your book. I cannot put it down. Your book is really helping me so much.

~ Raj ~

 

Thank you June for taking the time to talk to me after your presentation. I don’t know how you picked up on how I was feeling but when you hugged me and I fell apart I felt safe with you. I have been so angry and blaming myself thinking I must have done something wrong because my Dad OD’d. For the first time in almost two years I feel like this big rock is off me. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me for more than an hour beside your car. I hope you don’t mind if I email you sometime if I need to talk. And thank you for giving me two copies of your book so my Mom and I can both be reading it at the same time.

~ Emma ~

 

Thank you June for coming to my school to speak and for giving me a free copy of your book. I couldn’t believe when you said we could all have a copy to take home. That is very generous of you because I know that must cost a lot. I realized as I was reading your book on the bus ride home, you are so committed to helping stop other people from suffering. That was an inspirational moment for me – knowing there are people like you that really care. I want to be like you when I grow up.

~ Samra ~

 

When you came to our school and spoke to our class I couldn’t believe how you held everyone’s attention the entire time because we can be a pretty loud class. You treated us all with so much respect and kindness. You spoke about things I would have been afraid or embarrassed to ask about but you spoke with so much ease and understanding. Thank you for giving us all a copy of your book. Everyone is talking about it and talking about your presentation and that was three days ago. I know you helped a lot of us better understand and rethink decisions and actions.

~ Lia ~

 

Hi my name is Abbey, you presented to my CLC 12 class on May 16th and I wanted to write you a thank you note. Your presentation was by far the best presentation I have seen in my entire high school experience. I am so happy you came to our school and shared so many of your experiences with us. I was captivated and entranced the entire time. Never has any presenter treated my class with such respect as to tell us the truth and not sugar coat anything. Many times presenters shield us from the truth either they don’t think we can handle it or they don’t respect us enough. You did the exact opposite and it was truly terrifying in a good way and I know it opened many peoples eyes, including my own. I am so glad you came to our class it was one of the best experiences I have had all year. Again thank you and I hope you come back to our school again.

~ Abby ~

 

When you started talking to my class and you said, you were not going to tell us not to use drugs you were just going to share your story, I had absolutely no idea of how powerful your stories would be. I hope you come back to our school again next year and share your story because I learned more in 1 ¼ hours from you than I have in every other speaker put together over my entire school life. Honestly, that is the truth. Thank you for giving us all a free copy of your book. I am already at Chapter 7, and I don’t like to read.

~ Tony (Anthony)

 

I have never heard a more powerful presentation in my life. You are soft spoken, gentle and kind and yet you are the strongest person I think I have ever met. Keep doing what you are doing going to schools. You made a big impact with my class that is for sure.

~ Jag ~

 

Thank you June for speaking to our class and for giving us all a copy of your book so we could continue to learn more about what Addiction, Homelessness and Gang Violence is really all about. You are a very good person to go into schools and give students your book. I know you are making a difference.

~ Tommy ~

  

You are the best speaker that has ever come to our school. I have never seen our classroom so quiet. Everyone hung on every word you said. The best part about you is you are not preachy and I think that is why you make such an impact. Everyone is still talking about your presentation and it is three days later.

~ Keenan ~

  

I hope you keep going into schools until you are 100 years old and share your story. I thought I knew so much from all the talks we have had in school but I learned so much from you today and I know students all over need to hear what you have to say.   Thank you for coming to our school.

~Amrit ~

 

I know there are Angels here in Surrey. I met one today, she clearly tucks her wings under her sweater and just looks like a regular person but there is nothing regular about her. June shares stories that show that kindness, compassion and understanding go a long way. Her words have made a tremendous impact on me. I will never look at another homelessness person the same again. Thank you June, you really opened my eyes.

~ Teagan ~

 

I wanted to just take the time to say thank you from me and my classmates at Lord Tweedsmuir we really thought your presentation was incredibly powerful and hope that you continue to do this for a million more kids. I have started reading your book, I am 5 chapters in I don’t want to put it down.  It’s very hard for me to find good a book because everything seems to “fake” this is so raw and real.

~ Katelyn ~

 

We are sending this message to you together as we have been talking about your presentation to our class.   You are the best speaker we have ever had at our school – you speak with so much sincerity. Thank you for sharing your stories with us. You are an amazing storyteller.

~ Amir and Jasper ~

 

I’m a student of Shana’s class that you spoke in today. I just wanted to thank you for your inspiring presentation. I know we were all so grateful to hear your heartfelt personal experiences, and were so inspired by your kindness and empathy. Your presentation was much needed to hear addiction from a personal perspective, and I was really touched by your message of seeing past addiction and seeing the actual person. I can’t wait to read your book and hear more stories.

~ Gabrielle (student), Douglas College Psychiatric Nurses Program ~