Meet Whisper James | Podcast Host, Survivor Leader Advocate, Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Whisper James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Whisper, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Because I love what I do, and I’m so passionate about the work, this is a line that has blurred for me, but in all the good ways. I don’t focus anymore on “hours” or a clock-in/clock-out mentality. I know what needs to get done, I have a running “to-do” list (that will likely never end) and I listen to myself more closely as to when I’m starting to feel burn-out or when the emotional toll is starting to pull at me, and that’s when I stop or pull back for rest. My week doesn’t really have weekends in the way I used to. It’s a “work-when-I-want-to, play-when-I-want-to” life. Hours-wise I likely work more than most, and certainly more than 40 hours a week, but it doesn’t feel like work, it’s who I am, and these days it’s reallly not a work life balance. It’s just living.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I chose Artist/Creative because that’s how I see my work expressing itself. As a Survivor Leader Advocate, the ways I show up in the world has multiple avenues, but at the end of the day it’s about giving others the opportunities and platforms they deserve and being the person I needed when I was in their shoes.

I am a cult Survivor who was born and raised in the notorious Children of God cult (aka The Family International). Due to the cult’s paranoia, I grew up moving constantly, and had lived in 14 different countries by the time I was 22. Despite the severe disadvantages and abuse of my early life, I established my passion early on while living in Thailand, working with the at-risk youth both in the cult and other at-risk youth through local organisations. When I was finally able to escape, I came to the US to start my education in psychology and raise my 4 children, eventually as a single parent.

I thought I was meant to chase the traditional “American Dream,” at least what I knew of it from a handful of movies. I joined a tech start-up company as IT manager, and eventually moved to Director of Business Development. My life had a direction, and I was on my way. But after a devastating tragedy and unexpected illness of one of my kids, my life took a complete U-turn. At the time it felt like more like it came to a complete halt. I realised I had a lot of healing I needed to do myself.

As a full-time caregiver, I started initially as a volunteer at my local LBGTQ Community Center, then later helped run the youth services. I took in 5 homeless Transgender youth that I met at the center, and helped them finish their education, get jobs, and eventually move out on their own. Both the obvious need plus successful outcome of this eventually inspired the “Unicorn Homes” program.

However, I still didn’t have 2 pennies to rub together, and my kids needed to eat, so I started Whisper Wind Designs, doing design work and web-building. But my passion to help other Survivors never stopped burning. I started volunteering and working with local anti-human trafficking organisations, Shyne and the i-5 Freedom Network. Through Shyne’s Survivor program, I started an event business, Velvet Tent Events, and ran Shyne’s first Kindness Fest in November 2019. For obvious reasons, it turned out to be a bad time to start an event company! Still working with Shyne, I took the opportunity during the pandemic to get my coaching certification through Guiding Mindful Change and started a private coaching business, Mindful New Beginnings.

In 2018 I had taken part of an A&E Documentary Series, “Cult & Extreme Beliefs.” It was the first time I had gone public with my story, and I was terrified. Would I ever be taken seriously as a professional? But once I watched myself speak so passionately about helping other Survivors, I knew there was no turning back. I started using my voice publicly with Shyne and i-5 Freedom Network. I took part in several events during 2020 and 2021, including Behold Her: Survivors of Exploitation Portraits Exhibit, Linkedin Local San Diego Inspiring Women Biz Owner Stories, and the 4S Ranch Business Boomers Business Success Series “Success Stories from the Edge.”

That was when I knew I had to do more than just tell my story. I wanted to give other Surivors a platform to tell theirs, too. In May of 2021 I invited my best friend of 35 years and fellow cult Survivor Jemima Ferris to co-host a podcast with me for survivor voices called Butterflies and Bravery. Around this time Jemima and I also ran a very successful recovery course called the Survivor Summit. The response from the attendees was nearly overwhelming. I decided to pivot from my coaching business to focus solely on working with Survivors of human trafficking and cult trafficking.

Jemima and I both began working with Dr. Janja Lalich at the Lalich Center, and after graduating their cources we now facilitate Survivor workshops and support groups through the Center. In 2022 I also wrote part of my story that was published in a collaborative book, “Dare to Express.”

My work with i-5 Freedom Network never ended. Today, I am the Director of Programs at i-5 and am currently writing two course recovery programs for Survivors of coercive control situations called “The Self-Designed Life.” My art is focused now on Survivor healing and running my programs. On December 1st I will be launching a print-on-demand store featuring all my designs that will go to support Survivor programs at i-5 Freedom Network, including affirmation cards, notebooks, stickers, as well as all the usual t-shirts, totes and more.

It has been a long road that brought me here, but all the pain, struggles and tears disappear when I hear from other Survivors that their lives have changed after hearing a podcast episode or being part of a support group or program I facilitate. When someone is inspired by a design I created, or tells me the affirmation cards I wrote are what they had been looking for, the gratitude in my heart overflows. I am still learning, and still healing, that’s a journey I will forever be on, but I am proud of that. I still have scars, but they only tell the stories of what I’ve overcome to be here today, and show other Survivors that Warriors can be beautiful.

Here are the media links to some of the above events, or articles I’m in.

Pride Interview, July 16, 2016: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/sdut-pride-rises-amid-difficult-times-2016jul16-story.html

Kindness Fest: November 13, 2019 https://www.kusi.com/kindness-fest-will-benefit-local-human-trafficking-survivors/

Behold Her: https://www.youbelongsd.com/old-blog/difficult-discussions-dont-always-have-to-be-difficult

Behold Her: https://www.amaridixon.com/portaitphotography

Behold Her: Jan 16, 2020: https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2020/01/16/trafficking-victims-reclaim-their-stories-photo-ex

Shyne: https://www.goldininstitute.org/2020/02/17/shyneon/

Shyne Article, with my story, Feb 26, 2020 https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2020/feb/26/city-lights-sex-traffic-survivors-business-women/

SDVoyager Article with photos of me, April 6, 2020: http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-cynthia-luvlee-austin-shyne-san-diego-north-county/

Cults and Extreme Belief (Children of God), June 5, 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjBBx_7jJYA

Podcast Article, Jun 10, 2021: https://www.clearwaterprogress.com/news/new-podcast-focuses-on-surviving-trauma/article_6c728fb0-c8d5-11eb-a09b-bb7424125cce.html

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I currently live in North County, so there are definitely some spots up in this area were we can’t miss. Local Tap House in Oceanside is one of the best places to eat. Their food is unique and always absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is 100% San Diego: open, friendly, more outdoor than indoor, and laid back. Their Mexican Old-Fashioned is great too!

No matter where you go, the beach is where to visit. I’d take them on a grand tour of some of my favourites: Walk the Oceanside pier, a bondfire on Moonlight Beach, see the sea lions at the cliffs of La Jolla Cove, bike the Pacific Beach Boardwalk, watch the locals and performers on Ocean Beach, drive over the Coranado bridge and make a day of it at Belmont Park.

We also can’t miss the San Diego Zoo, which is more of a park with beautiful animals in it than a zoo. Both the Wildlife Safari Park up north and the San Diego Zoo next to Balboa are some of the best zoos I’ve ever been too.

Speaking of Balboa, that is another park I’d take a friend to. The Botanical Building and other museums are great, and if it’s in summer, the Shakespeare Festival is something I love to go to.

I love the harbor area too, even for just walking around, but a harbor tour is a must, whether it’s whale watching or visiting the USS Midway. Then a trip down to Seaport Village for some shopping and incredible views. I haven’t been for a while, but my favourite store was the Carousel Music Box Company. I heard it’s closed now, though.

Another place that will always make my heart feel like its come home are the Meditation Gardens in Encinitas. It’s a tiny, tucked-away haven of peace and my personal little slice of heaven on earth. Since the veiws are to die for, it’s kind of fitting.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My best friend and life partner, Jemima Farris, who has been my rock for over 35 years is the reason I am still here and the reason I have the support in my life to find my purpose. The next shoutout 100% has to go to i-5 Freedom Network and the founder Brenda Wells, who saw the light I had to share with others and gave the courage to see it too.