Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 3170

Tonight's special guest is Melissa Santana from Euclid, Ohio, a survivor of both child abuse and later domestic violence. She experience trauma in both the physical and the mental sense. She went to counseling prior to going to school for it, and became a social worker, helping kids at a high school in downtown Cleveland where she connects youth to resources that help them overcome difficulties in their life. These include Say Yes Cleveland  as a family support specialist, among other things, Melissa connects students to support and promote scholarship services. "I’m also a bilingual peer education coordinator for Planned Parenthood Greater Ohio where I educate adult health ambassadors about various areas of sexual health," she says. "Most would describe me as an energetic, hyperactive person who talks extremely fast!" Melissa says. "I describe myself as a driven, motivated Afro-Latina who doesn't bite her tongue. Either way I love life, have a lot of goals & believe in the power of positive thinking!" She goes on, "I host a podcast called Santana Says where I educate others on different areas of interpersonal violence including the violence I experienced in a previous domestic relationship. I was raised by an alcoholic mother which made it hard for me to know what healthy relationships look like, so I take great joy in educating others on it now!" Melissa has a diverse background and is highly successful in developing and presenting engaging programs in the areas of diversity and inclusion, interpersonal violence, psychotherapy, and crisis intervention.