Exhale

The Rev. Susan Chorley ('94) leads nonprofit that replaces judgment with conversation about stigmatized issues, including abortion.

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The Rev. Susan Chorley (’94) of Boston writes to announce her appointment this month as executive director of Exhale, a nonprofit known for its free national talkline that provides emotional support, resources and information to women who have had abortions as well as to their circle of friends and family.

The organization counts as its mission to equip people to have productive conversations about stigmatized issues with people in their lives, including abortion.

The Rev. Susan Chorley has shared her personal story at churches across the country.

Phoebe Zerwick, who teaches writing at Wake Forest and directs the journalism program, included Chorley in a piece for Parents magazine last year about mothers who have had abortions, and earlier this year CNN also featured Chorley, who has shared her story at churches across the country.

“I want faith communities to be a place where people can go and be themselves completely and be loved and accepted and trust that those people that are there with them will always be there with them, no matter what,” she told CNN.

In her note to Wake Forest Magazine, she said the organization she will lead seeks to move from “the dichotomy of pro-choice and pro-life into a pro-voice framework that lifts up the voices and stories of real people. In an era of ‘fake news’ and our divided country — we need more spaces like this. And, in fact, my experience at WFU helped shape that approach and understanding in my soul.”

 

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