# Beverly Gooden

beverly gooden is an African American writer and social activist known for her groundbreaking work in domestic violence, victimology, and women's health, who created the Why I Stayed hashtag and movement in 2014. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, the U.S. Office on Women's Health, and NBC's TODAY. == Biography == === Early life === Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Beverly lived in foster care until being adopted by the Gooden family as a child. As a sophomore at Hampton University, Beverly was selected as a media scholar with the Summer Research Opportunities Program at the University of Iowa and researched the connection between alcohol advertisements and teen drinking & driving.