This panel brought together Lori Schott, Kristen Bride, and Marlon Peterson (Civil Society Fellowship), three people whose lives were upended by trauma and loss, and who have transformed those experiences into a commitment to healing and service. 

Speakers:

• Kristin Bride, Executive Director, The Carson J. Bride Effect
• Marlon Peterson, Executive Director, College & Community Fellowship (Civil Society Fellowship)
• Lori Schott, Co-Founder & Parent Advocate for Child Online Safety

Moderated by: Heather Sonn, MD, Gamiro Investment Holdings (Africa Leadership Initiative – South Africa)

Lori and Kristen, both mothers who lost teenage children to harms linked to social media, described the grief that nearly broke them and the advocacy work that emerged from it, from meeting the former US Surgeon General to confronting Meta at its headquarters, calling for accountability. 

Marlon reflected on surviving childhood trauma and years of incarceration, describing the lifelong work of cultivating internal safety and reframing his wounds as evidence of what’s possible. 

Together, they explored love, power, and action as forces for reclaiming humanity in the face of unimaginable loss.