They Took Her Title Not Her Power The Truth About Resilience Under Fire
About this episode
The episode explores resilience and personal identity through the story of TaShun Bowden-Lewis after losing her title as Chief Public Defender in Connecticut.
They took her title—but they couldn’t take her power. In this episode, I sit down with TaShun Bowden-Lewis to unpack what really happens when the position is gone, the recognition fades, and you’re left facing who you are without the title. TaShun made history as Connecticut’s first Black Chief Public Defender—but two years later, she was fired following months of disagreements with the agency’s oversight body, accusations of workplace misconduct, and a highly contentious hearing. And that’s where most people stop the story. But we don’t. We go deeper into what it means to stand in your identity when everything external is challenged—resilience under pressure, navigating public scrutiny, and separating who you are from what you held. TaShun shares what it really took to face the internal battle, process the fallout, and begin rebuilding from a place no one can take from her again. If you’ve ever felt pushed out, misrepresented, or forced to start over in a way you didn’t choose, this conversation will challenge how you see loss—and show you where your real power has been all along. This isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about rebuilding from a place they can’t touch. You heard the…
People in this episode
Host: Edna J. White
Guest: TaShun Bowden-Lewis
Topics covered
- resilience
- identity
- workplace challenges
- public scrutiny
- personal power
- rebuilding after loss
Keywords
- resilience
- identity
- workplace misconduct
- public defender
- personal power
- rebuilding
- loss
- self-discovery
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Connecticut
More episodes of Keeping it Real on Purpose
- Stop Surviving, Start Living: Somatic Secrets to Soul Alignment
- You Can’t Heal What You Keep Repeating: Breaking Trauma Cycles
- Grief Isn’t the Breakdown—It’s the Reorganization
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