Aspire: The I Have The Right To Podcast
Join the I Have the Right to team and thought leaders as we Aspire to eradicate sexual assault. Inspired by Co-Founder Chessy Prout’s courageous voice and memoir, I Have The Right To- A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice and Hope, co-authored by investigative journalist Jenn Abelson, our mission is to create an ecosystem of respect, education, and support for all students!
Aspire is meant to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for growth -- by offering a forum for dialogue - about issues affecting our culture and the way we live, interact, love, learn and grow.
Real Men, Real Conversations: Aspire touches on both sides of the coin; Co-Founder of I Have the Right To and father of Chessy Prout, Alex Prout, and High School Student Leaders and Co-Hosts, Hugh Eastman and Gabriel Viscogliosi, share their voices with discussions about what it means to be a man- does it mean being aggressive, stoic, and not taking no for an answer? Or giving your buddy a hug and telling him you love him? Alex, Gabriel, and Hugh share how, across generations, common masculinity tropes impact us all, and how we can inspire the future to act with "aspirational masculinity". They interview guests to get their perspectives, while discussing how rigid gender norms can create harmful barriers for all. All this, and more, in “Real Men, Real Conversations”.
Survivor Advocacy: In the “Survivor Advocacy” segment, Co-Founder and mother of Chessy Prout, Susan Prout, and Executive Director of I Have the Right To, Katie M. Shipp, highlight the power of survivor voices in driving meaningful change. These episodes —deeply inspired by Chessy’s unwavering courage to speak out despite attempts to silence her— amplify powerful survivor stories, engage with experts, and explore the path forward in the fight for justice and safety. Listeners will gain insight into where we’ve been, where we need to go, and how we can collectively create lasting impact. Together, we’ll explore diverse perspectives to drive meaningful, lasting advocacy and build a safer, more just future for all.
We amplify survivors’ voices and address the root causes of sexual violence by creating open dialogue around its causes. Each episode features a variety of guests discussing survivor experiences, the aftermath of sexual assault, healthy masculinity, and the future we envision - free from sexual assault.
Let’s explore, learn, and aspire together.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 54 minutes
- Episodes
- 33
- Years Active
- 2025
E32: #WithYouToo | Finding Her Voice After Epstein: Jess Michaels on Trauma, Language & Healing
In this episode of Aspire, Katie M. Shipp,Chessy Prout, and student co-host Meghan Boudreau sit down with Jess Michaels, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, an outspoken advocate, and the fo…
E31: Trauma-Informed Justice | Renee Williams on Supporting Survivors as a Lawyer - Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, co-hosts Katie M. Shipp and Chessy Prout sit down with Renee Williams, Executive Director of the National Crime Victims Bar Association, the nation’s first an…
E30: Raising the Next Generation | Dr. Mona on Body Autonomy in Young Children - Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, Co-Hosts Katie M. Shipp and Chessy Prout sit down with Dr. Mona, a board-certified pediatrician and founder of Peds Doc Talk. They explore critical issues sur…
E29: Healing Your Boo Boo | Jean Ruggiero on Animals, Consent, and Recovery - Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, hosts Katie M. Ship and Chessy Prout sit down with Jean Ruggiero, a passionate advocate against sexual violence and an aspiring social worker. Jean opens up a…
E28: Aspire to Lead (pt. 2) - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire, hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel Viscogliosi, and Hugh Eastman are joined by production head Ben Hudak for a powerful one-year follow-up to their original “Aspire to…
E27: Dispatches from the Couch | Dr. Stacey Hettes on Understanding Trauma - Advocacy in Action
In this heartfelt episode of Aspire, host Katie M. Shipp welcomes co-host Karen Udall and special guest Dr. Stacey Hettes, professor of biology and neuroscience at Wofford College and a…
E26: Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder | Sherrie Westin on the Global Impact of Sesame Street
In today’s episode of Aspire, hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel Viscogliosi, and Hugh Eastman are joined by Sherrie Westin, CEO of Sesame Workshop. Sherrie discusses the history and early days …
E26: Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder | Sherrie Westin on the Global Impact of Sesame Street
In today’s episode of Aspire, hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel V., and Hugh E. are joined by Sherrie Westin, CEO of Sesame Workshop. Sherrie discusses the far-reaching impact and mission of Se…
E25: Duty to Protect | Melissa Hoppmeyer on Military Justice Reform and Survivor-Centered Advocacy – Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, co-hosts Katie M. Shipp, Executive Director of I Have the Right To, and Chessy Prout, Co-Founder of I Have the Right To, engage in a compelling conversation w…
E24: Aspire to Fight the System (ft. Chris McGhee) - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire, host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, and co-hosts and high school seniors, Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman, return with an impactful a…
E23: Aspire to Break the Stigma (ft. Ben Hudak) - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire, Host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, alongside Co-Hosts Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman, delve into the intricate topics of student s…
E22: Aspire to Break the Armor (ft. Dr. Stephen Burrell) - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire, Host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, joined by Co-Hosts and high school students Hugh Eastman and Gabriel Viscogliosi, welcome Dr. Stephen …
E21: Turning Pain into Purpose | Melanie Barton's Inspiring Journey - Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, I Have The Right To’s Founder, Chessy Prout, and Executive Director, Katie M. Shipp, join to welcome Melanie Barton — a survivor and passionate advocate for i…
E20: Aspire to be Vulnerable (ft. Sean Doherty and Peter Leboutillier) - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire, host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout and co-hosts and high school seniors Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman dive deep into a powerful con…
E19: Aspire to Be You - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire, Co-Host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To, Alex Prout, joins Co-Hosts Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman for a deep exploration of personal identity, co…
E18: A Conversation on Incest Awareness and Activism | Broadening Our Understanding of Incest with Josephine A. Lauren - Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, Host and Executive Director of I Have The Right To Katie Shipp and Co-Founder of I Have the Right To Chessy Prout are joined by Josephine A. Lauren, an author…
E17: Aspire to Check Yourself (ft. Nick B. and David P.) - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this episode of Aspire - Real Men, Real Conversations, hosts Alex Prout, Gabriel Viscogliosi and Hugh Eastman, welcome two high school juniors, David P. and Nick B., for an insightfu…
E16: Raising Children with Boundaries | Jayneen Sanders on Consent, Gender Equality, and Emotional Safety - Advocacy in Action
In this powerful episode of Aspire: I Have The Right To, Host and Executive Director Katie Shipp and Host and Co-Founder of I Have The Right To Susan Proutare joined by Australian autho…
E15: Aspire to Reflect | Speaking from the heart on Masculinity after the US Election - Real Men, Real Conversations
In this urgent and unscripted episode of Aspire, recorded just days after the 2024 presidential election, Co-Founder of I Have the Right To, Alex Prout, joins student Co-Hosts Gabriel V…
E14: Crazy Love | Leslie Morgan Steiner on Abusive Relationships - Advocacy in Action
In this episode of Aspire, Executive Director of I Have the Right To and Co-Host Katie Shipp is joined by Co-Host Chessy Prout, Co-Founder of I Have the Right To, for a compelling conve…