Content warning: Sexual assault Maya Siegel (she/her/hers) is a 20-year-old entrepreneur, strategist, and activist. IGNITE has selected Maya as a Leader on Fire for Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2021 for her leadership of Space to Speak.
Space to Speak was founded in 2019 to create a space dedicated to connecting young survivors and amplifying their voices while also working to further the national conversation on consent. Space to Speak supports and empowers survivors by providing educational guides and an online platform for the community. In 2020, Space to Speak helped raise over $118,000 for survivors experiencing domestic violence during the pandemic. Whether you are a survivor or ally, there is always room in Space to Speak’s community.
What do you want us to know about your founder's story that we can't find on the website?
Deciding to own my identity as a survivor and choosing to create a resource for others didn’t happen immediately following my assault; it took years of listening and reflecting.
I could not have started Space to Speak without my community and owe a large part of my progress to other survivors, for bravely sharing their stories and allowing me to listen anonymously. They not only fought for me but gave me compassion and patience in a time I desperately needed it. In 2019 I started Space to Speak, a community of predominantly GenZ survivors and my ultimate love letter to the world.
Your field of work is so multifaceted. How and why did you focus on the area central to your organization?
The beauty of doing work in this space is that there is a national network of survivor orgs with different strengths and spaces for survivors.
We decided to focus primarily on connecting GenZ survivors, offering them a platform to engage in vulnerable conversations, because we felt that was an unaddressed need. Our Survivor Community is the only space I know specifically built to discuss topics like wellness, relationships, and survivor-specific advice.
What's your self-care plan? What advice do you have for others concerning self-care?
I’m not the shining example of self-care but lately, I’ve really enjoyed starting every morning by writing in my gratitude journal; it puts me in a great headspace to start the day. When it comes to self-care, I think it’s important to remember that self-care comes in many forms. For me, it’s about consistent eating habits, financial stability, and self-empowerment.
IGNITE advocates for bills that advance/protect the rights of women, transwomen, and non-binary people. If you wrote a piece of legislation, what big structural change would you hope to tackle for survivors? Or to prevent/end sexual assault?
I’d push for mandatory consent education in every state because teaching adolescents how to explore their sexuality and engage in healthy relationships is incredibly powerful.
What advice do you have for others who want to be part of the solution in ending all sexual assault?
Normalize conversations about consent with your friends, regardless of what gender they identify with, and hold perpetrators (especially if you know them) accountable. Oftentimes it seems that people are worried about the perpetrator’s life being ruined when they should be worried about the survivor’s wellbeing.
What message would you like to send to survivors?
No matter who you are, I believe you and I support you. I'm here to meet you where you're at, especially on the days you're having trouble, and to show up for you -- as a listener, storyteller, advice-giver, amplifier, connector, or friend. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me or Space to Speak. We're all here, supporting you with every passing day <3.
Let's pay it forward - what are two or three other people/organizations working in this space that you admire and would recommend?
Nora Gallo of Every Voice Coalition and Olivia DeRamus of Restless Network.
Is there anything else you want us to know and include in our Leaders on Fire profile?
Space to Speak is a youth-led organization that supports and empowers survivors, giving them the resources to heal and rediscover their power. The three founders are me, Alex Hooten, and Emily Bach.
Maya currently works as the Executive Director at Space to Speak, a Campus Outreach Manager at Bumble, and a freelance web designer. She leads purpose-driven work at the intersection of social media and social impact, serving her community by developing and executing innovative digital strategies that exceed business goals. Maya finds power in doing work that she loves, building community, and providing for herself. Her work has been recognized in the Washington Post, HuffPost, MTV, Teen Vogue, Vice, Elite Daily, and the NYT Upfront. Visit mayacsiegel.com to learn more.
If you are in immediate need of support, call the National Sexual Assault Helpline.
They accept phone calls 24 hours a day at 1-800-656-4673.
A comprehensive list of services and resources is available at rainn.org.