Dana Denise, an Annapolis-based singer-songwriter and co-organizer of the Annapolis Songbird Festival, introduces her work providing storytelling platforms for survivors of abuse before performing her original song ‘The Last Thing I’ll Think Of.’ The song navigates the psychological aftermath of abuse — including hypervigilance, intimacy struggles, and the yearning for inner freedom — drawing directly from her personal experience as a survivor.
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Transcript
[00:57:20] Yeah, do you think oh wow oh so you oh that’s what you were I don’t do
[00:57:27] Sure, sure you were whatever you if you were signing like something here something I was like, what are you saying man?
[00:57:33] What do you say?
[00:57:34] Anyways, all right. I am so happy to bring this next artist to the stage
[00:57:40] This is a local and hapless artist who just rocks the stage anywhere she goes
[00:57:48] Everybody round of applause for Dana Denise. Hey, give it up for
[00:57:57] Dana Denise
[00:58:00] Howdy how you guys doing?
[00:58:05] Hey, Laura
[00:58:08] Sorry, give me one second
[00:58:10] I’ll talk I guess for a second
[00:58:12] Yeah, my name is Dana Denise
[00:58:14] I would like to talk for just a second with my other organizer here in the building about
[00:58:20] The Annapolis songbird festival that we host every year at Maryland Hall
[00:58:24] me and three other women and
[00:58:27] Annapolis are dedicated to providing a platform for storytelling for survivors
[00:58:33] of abuse and
[00:58:35] it’s been really successful and
[00:58:38] I’m so grateful for the community these community spaces like speak your truth and all the stuff that NAMI does and
[00:58:45] Songbird collective for giving a platform for people to share their stories and share
[00:58:49] messages of empowerment and hope with one another
[00:58:53] I
[00:58:54] am a survivor
[00:58:56] My sister’s a survivor my mother and my grandmother and I hope that all the work that we’re doing
[00:59:03] Means that that generational curse is going to end with me
[00:59:07] Thank you
[00:59:15] And
[00:59:19] Thank you, I just can’t hear it up here
[00:59:23] Can you hear on the speakers, wow. Okay. It’s just I just
[00:59:26] just can’t that’s why this is a song that I wrote about kind of navigating
[00:59:34] healing and trying to find normalcy after experiencing abuse and this is
[00:59:39] called the last thing I’ll think of
[00:59:43] you took more from me than I thought you could my sovereignty and my womanhood
[01:00:00] you’re long gone but your shadow’s still here feels like you’re watching from the
[01:00:06] corner and I’m gripped by fear
[01:00:09] I know
[01:00:13] I know
[01:00:15] that you won’t touch this body again
[01:00:21] I hope
[01:00:24] I hope
[01:00:27] that one day you won’t touch my mind and I’ll feel whole again
[01:00:43] I met a new man and he’s strong and sweet
[01:00:50] even holds my hand when we go to sleep
[01:00:55] but being in love feels like giving it up
[01:01:00] I’m so in my head can’t get close enough
[01:01:05] I know
[01:01:08] I know
[01:01:11] I know
[01:01:13] that you won’t touch this body again
[01:01:18] I hope
[01:01:22] I hope
[01:01:25] that one day you won’t touch my mind and I’ll feel whole then
[01:01:33] I’m begging to be free
[01:01:39] from this prison
[01:01:46] from this prison you built inside of me
[01:01:50] I want more room inside my heart
[01:01:55] I want more room inside my heart
[01:02:01] from me
[01:02:03] from me
[01:02:04] from me
[01:02:05] from me
[01:02:06] from me
[01:02:07] from me
[01:02:08] from me
[01:02:09] from me
[01:02:10] from me
[01:02:11] from me
[01:02:12] from me
[01:02:13] from me
[01:02:14] from me
[01:02:15] from me
[01:02:16] from me
[01:02:17] from me
[01:02:18] from me
[01:02:19] from me
[01:02:20] from me
[01:02:21] from me
[01:02:22] from me
[01:02:23] from me
[01:02:24] from me
[01:02:25] from me
[01:02:26] from me
[01:02:27] from me
[01:02:28] from me
[01:02:29] from me
[01:02:30] from me
[01:02:31] from me
[01:02:32] from me
[01:02:33] from me
[01:02:34] from me
[01:02:35] from me
[01:02:36] and if you would like to learn more about the songbird festival uh please
[01:02:43] come find me after this is all done and we can chat
[01:02:46] hey you can take it out
[01:02:51] you okay bad idea use the stairs bro use the stairs okay i’m old i know it and i’m embracing