Ep. 05 — Turning Pain Into Public Service | A'Dorian Murray Thomas

In Episode 05 of Say Yes When Life Says No, Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Jr. sits down with A'Dorian Murray Thomas to explore how unimaginable loss can become the catalyst for transformational leadership and community impact. At just seven years old, A'Dorian lost her father to gun violence outside his Newark convenience store. Instead of allowing tragedy to define her story, she turned pain into purpose — founding She Wins, Inc. at 19 to empower young women impacted by violence, and becoming the youngest woman ever elected to the Newark Board of Education at 23. Now serving as an Essex County Commissioner, she shares how resilience, faith, and intentional leadership can transform communities from the inside out. In This Episode: • Turning personal tragedy into public service • Building a nonprofit while still in college • Becoming the youngest woman elected in Newark’s history • Trauma-informed approaches to reducing violence • What it truly means to say “yes” when life says “no” Share your reflection in the comments below. 👍 Like • 💬 Comment • 🔔 Subscribe for future episodes 📍 CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 3:54 Commissioner Thomas's Story: Loss & the Chad School 6:58 Founding She Wins Inc. 13:14 Running for Newark Board of Education at 23 24:49 Becoming Essex County Commissioner & Closing Remarks 🔗 CONNECT Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. ▶ YouTube: / @dbsoaries ▶ Website: https://dbsoaries.com ▶ Instagram: / dbsoaries A'Dorian Murray Thomas ► YouTube:    / @adorianmurray-thomas   ► Website: https://shewins.org/ ► Instagram:   / adorianfornewark   #SayYesShow #Resilience #Leadership #CommunityImpact #Newark