Laura C. Cowan, a Mother of 3 – is an award winning speaker, educator and activist. Her tale of survival and heroism is one that will be forever etched in California’s history. Escaping from an abusive polygamist husband, Laura and her 3 children endured unimaginable abuse. Locked away and held captive in a cold dark garage with no heat, food, and water or plumbing. Laura was repeatedly raped, beaten and starved, alongside her children.
Stripped of everything but the will to survive, not only for herself, but for her children; Laura would then decide to do the unthinkable. Fearing that she would never make it out of that garage alive, she began to meticulously keep detailed accounts (via pieces of scrap paper she found throughout the garage) of the horrific daily abuse that she and her children endured. However, it would not be until an unplanned outside visit to the post office with her capture, that her life would forever be changed.
On that faithful day, Laura was able to pass a note pleading for help to a post office clerk, who was then able to alert the proper authorities. Two days later, detectives would emerged onto her capture’s doorstep, where she and her children where finally rescued.
Today Laura is a graduate of Bryant & Stratton College. Presently serving as a Resident Services Liaison with Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA); Working in Resident Services as their Domestic Violence Advocate and assisting with Aging Out of Foster Care clients. Laura assist CMHA Residents by empowering, educating and advocating Residents for justice to end domestic violence and child abuse by providing workshops, materials, guidance and emotional support.
Laura is heavily involved with several organizations such as:
Coalition for a Better Life (dba) Peace in the Hood under Director: – Amir Khalid Samad
Black on Black Crime Inc. – Founder: Art McKoy
Positive Plus Support Group – Founder: Yvonne Pointer
N.A.N (National Action Network) – Founder: Rev. Al Sharpton-President: Marcia McCoy Greater Cleveland Chapter
National Congress of Black Women Greater Cleveland Chapter – President: Ruth Gray
Volunteer: at the Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center of Greater Cleveland for over 5 years.
Awarded:
2014 – Crain’s “Women of Note”
2015 – Women of Color Foundation “The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Courage Award”
Appeared on:
Anderson Cooper Live
Meredith Vieira Show
Anderson Cooper “360”
ID Investigation Discovery: “House of Horrors”,
TVOne’s: Justice By Any Means with Malik Yoba
The Los Angeles Times Multimedia Piece
Dr. Phil
First 48
CNN
local news, TV, radio, just to name a few.
Now on Radio: “Laura Cowan’s Empowerment Hour” every Monday evening from 6:00pm to 7:00pm on VoiceItRadio. http://www.voiceitradio.com
Next: Will host another radio show with WOVU Radio (95.9) called: “Dear Ms. Laura” which topics focus on Domestic Violence, Teen Dating Violence, Human Trafficking, Stalking and more by empowering, educating and advocating the community for justice to end domestic violence http://www.wovu.org
Laura is the CEO and Founder of The Laura Cowan Foundation for battered women that has served over 350 women since 2016.
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