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Today on Still I Rise I’m joined by Hlee Kue— a woman whose story is both heartbreaking and breathtaking. For years she lived by the mantra ‘Be strong all the time. Be a leader and lead, and others will follow.’ It became her armor as she showed up, smiling and producing, even through unimaginable loss.

First came the death of her younger brother — one of her anchors — and before that wound could close, came another blow: a breast cancer diagnosis delivered not in an office, but in a voicemail. In an instant, every role she once held — caregiver, leader, mentor — felt stripped away, leaving only survival.

But in the blackness, she heard a whisper: You are still here. And slowly, wing by wing, tear by tear, she began to rise again. Today, Hlee hovers between two worlds — one where her brother’s laughter still lives and this one, quieter without him. She carries her scars like wings stitched with fire and sky, red and blue, strength and sorrow.

Her story is a living reminder that people carry invisible battles, that you don’t have to be whole to be holy, and that even when grief and illness arrive back-to-back, you can still rise. You’re about to hear from a woman who embodies resilience, vulnerability, and light — and I know her words will stay with you.

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Still I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY. To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories. Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story? Write to us at teamyounight@gmail.com

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Today on Still I Rise, I’m honored to welcome Jennifer. Jennifer is living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and she’ll be sharing her powerful journey with us. As a very private person, it wasn’t easy for her to enter into a program that requires so much openness and honesty. But through her experience with cancer, Jennifer has learned to look at life in a completely different way.

She describes her journey like the unfolding of a flower — starting small, then gradually opening until its full beauty is revealed. That image so beautifully captures the courage it takes to let others in, to share the hard parts, and to embrace the support of a community.

Jennifer’s story is about transformation, vulnerability, and the unexpected beauty that can come when we allow ourselves to bloom. I know you’re going to be inspired by her words today.

#GloriaGemmaBreastCancerResourceFoundation #YouNightEvents #WeLiftYouUp #YouNightStoryCrafting #StillIRise

Support the show

Still I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY. To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories. Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story? Write to us at teamyounight@gmail.com

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Welcome back to the Still I Rise Podcast. Today’s guest is someone very special to me—someone who truly embodies everything that You Night was created to be. When Jill Allender first came to us, she was carrying a lot of sadness, as so many women do when they first step into our programs. She bravely joined our summer SPARK program, and that’s where I first saw this tiny seed of hope take root in her life.

And then something beautiful happened. Jill didn’t just participate—she blossomed. She grew stronger and more confident, and she began to discover her own resilience and joy again. From there, she became part of our Class of 2023, and the transformation continued. But what’s so inspiring about Jill is that she didn’t stop there. Once she felt that strength return, she turned around and started planting seeds for other women.

As a Class Director for 2024 and 2025, Jill has poured into our community every single day—checking in on the women, making sure they feel supported, celebrating their victories, and walking with them through their struggles. She has become a leader, a mentor, and an encourager in every sense of the word.

And on a personal note—she has become one of my dearest friends. I’ve watched her journey from sadness to strength, and I can tell you: Jill is the perfect example of the ‘pay it forward’ sisterhood that You Night is all about.

Today, Jill is going to share a story she wrote back in 2023 during our Story Crafting program. We’ll talk about what that story meant to her then, how her life has changed since, and why she continues to give so much of herself to others. I’m so excited for you to hear her heart and her journey.

Support the show

Still I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY. To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories. Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story? Write to us at teamyounight@gmail.com