Running the Race of Resilience with Saunteel Jenkins

Detroit Raised Her. Resilience Saved Her. Saunteel Jenkins’ Journey is not just a story; it’s a blueprint for rising through the unimaginable. The kind of journey that survives loss, heartbreak, cancer and still chooses love. Running the Race of Resilience isn’t your typical survival story. It’s a powerful transformation of pain into purpose, and tragedy into legacy.

 

Our guest tour guide, Saunteel Jenkins, is a former social worker, former President of Detroit City Council, and current CEO of THAW (The Heat and Warmth Fund)—now running to become mayor of Detroit. From losing her brother to gun violence to surviving domestic abuse and breast cancer, Saunteel opens up about the moments that could have broken her and the mindset that helped her rise.

 

Detroit raised her, but resilience saved her. Saunteel Jenkins’ journey is a masterclass in rising with grace, loving through grief, and leading from the heart. It’s about staying when you could’ve walked away, and choosing hope when life gave every reason not to.

 

In this episode, we unpack:

💔 Turning Pain into Power – How Saunteel transformed personal tragedy into public purpose

🌅 What Real Resilience Looks Like – The quiet strength that keeps showing up

🛑 From Survival to Healing – Escaping abuse and reclaiming self-worth

💗 Support & Surrender – Why asking for help is strength 🕊️ Living Fully, Loving Fiercely – How near-loss redefined what matters most

 

If you’ve ever felt like life hit you too hard to keep going, this episode will remind you of the fire still in you. If you’ve questioned your strength, your worth, or your path, Saunteel’s story is a living testimony: you can survive. You can heal. And you can rise.

This isn’t just an episode. It’s a homecoming to your own resilience. 🏁✨

 

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For more motivation Travel with us here:

Instagram: @ajourneyworthtraveling

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Facebook: @ajourneyworthtraveling

 

Saunteel Jenkin's Contact Information:

Instagram: @saunteel

Website: www.saunteeljenkins.com

 

0:00 - 2:05 | Intro

2:06 - 3:23 | Meet Saunteel Jenkins

3:23 – 6:30 | Saunteel's Roots & Her Definition of Resilience

6:31 - 8:55 | Childhood in Detroit & Early Lessons in Self-Doubt

8:56 - 13:35 | Adulting Challenges & Navigating Adversity Alone

13:36 - 17:28 | The Tragic Loss of Her Brother & Processing Grief

17:29 - 19:48 | Mother's Grace, Purpose from Pain & Investing in What Matters

19:49 - 22:33 | Doubling Down on Detroit: Fighting for Her City's Future

22:34 - 25:00 | Strength in Vulnerability & Kindness in Adversity

25:01 - 31:02 | Cancer Diagnosis: Shock, Coping & Leaning on Support

31:03 - 33:18 | Turning Pain into Purpose: The Ripple Effect

33:19 - 36:00 | Self-Talk in Dark Moments: "My Mother Can't Bury Another Child"

36:01 - 37:54 | "Why Not Me?": Finding Gratitude in Adversity

37:55 - 40:11 | What Hinders Resilience & the Power of Unconditional Love

40:12 - 43:55 | Surviving Domestic Violence & Sharing the Story

43:56 - 47:40 | Your Past Doesn't Define Your Future & The Power of "Keep Going"

47:41 - 51:42 | Mental Wellness & The Practice of Self-Care

51:43 - 54:58 | Cancer as a Second Chance: Why Serve as Mayor?

54:59 - 58:18 | The Vision for a Resilient Detroit: Dreams for Its People

58:19 - 1:00:03 | Why Saunteel Jenkins' Journey is Worth Traveling & Final Thoughts