Summer of Justice

On August 24, 2026, a survivor named Elizabeth Crothers walks into a courtroom.

She will face the New York State government — the same government that retaliated against her for reporting her rape more than two decades ago. She reported it. They cleared her rapist. They smeared her. And then they watched him do it again.

I know, because I was the next victim.

My name is Rikki Shaw. In 2003, I was raped by Michael Boxley, the chief counsel to the New York State Assembly Speaker. There were criminal charges. A conviction. An allocution. A civil settlement. And then twenty years of silence — because I had watched what happened to Elizabeth when she came forward, and I was terrified that the same machine that destroyed her would come for me.

Jesus met me in that silence. He held me through twenty years of it. And when He said it was time to speak, I spoke.

Last year I stopped being Jane Doe. I came forward publicly under my own name to file an affidavit in Elizabeth's case — and I have not stopped talking since. My story has been covered by the New York Post and CBS6 Albany's Power and Politics. This Thursday, I will be speaking at the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence's Gender Based Violence Regional Council, where advocates and policymakers are rewriting the model county response to domestic violence.

I am telling you all of this because I want you to understand what Elizabeth has been carrying. She reported her rape in 2001. She has been fighting ever since. She deserves an army.

Why Prayer

Every morning I wake up, open my Bible, and go to war. The Word of God is living and active — Hebrews 4:12 tells us it is sharper than any double-edged sword. I rely on Jesus for every aspect of my life — my strength, my direction, my courage, my peace. He has carried me through homelessness, through litigation, through every attempt to silence me. He will carry Elizabeth through August 24.

When I started thinking about what I could do between now and trial, the answer was clear: build an army of prayer warriors and pray without ceasing.

Philippians 2:2 calls us to be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Summer of Justice is: One army. One spirit. One purpose. Standing in the gap for survivors everywhere still waiting to be heard.

There is power in the spoken Word. There is power in agreement. There is power in the name of Jesus — and we are going to speak that name over this trial every single day.

The Campaign

Summer of Justice is a 91-day scripture prayer campaign running from Memorial Day — May 25, 2026 — to August 24, the first day of Elizabeth's trial.

Every morning at 7 a.m., I will post a scripture verse on Facebook and on YouTube. Every single day. 91 days straight. Show up, read the Word, pray with us.

We are praying for Elizabeth. We are praying for the Epstein survivors, the Weinstein survivors, and every Jane Doe who was ever silenced, disbelieved, or failed by the systems that were supposed to protect her. We are praying for offender accountability and justice for survivors everywhere still waiting to be heard.

The 91 days are organized into seven thematic blocks, each one building on the last:

Block 1 — Courage to Come Forward (May 25 – June 6) For every survivor who is still afraid. We open with Psalm 91 and spend thirteen days building the courage it takes to speak up, show up, and refuse to be silenced.

Block 2 — Truth Will Be Revealed (June 7 – June 19) Luke 8:17 — "There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed." We pray into the exposure of darkness.

Block 3 — God Sees the Oppressed (June 20 – July 2) When the system looks away, God does not. Psalm 10:14 — "But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted."

Block 4 — Justice Belongs to the Lord (July 3 – July 15) Independence Day lands on Amos 5:24 — "Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream."

Block 5 — Strength for the Long Fight (July 16 – July 28) Isaiah 40:31 — "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles."

Block 6 — Restoration and Healing (July 29 – August 10) Joel 2:25 — "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten." Every year stolen. Every opportunity destroyed. God restores.

Block 7 — Victory and Vindication (August 11 – August 24) We close where we opened — Psalm 91. "Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him." That is a promise. We stand on it together.

Watch the Kickoff Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZrhRMtP704

Join the Movement

I created a free downloadable PDF prayer guide — all 91 days of scripture, beautifully formatted, yours to print, carry, and write in. Go to RosesFromAshes.com (home page), scroll to "Join the Movement," enter your name and email, and get instant access. It is completely free. I want it in as many hands as possible.

One more ask. In the comments on YouTube, drop a first name and a state. Someone you want us to pray for this summer. Just "Jen in NY." Every Sunday morning I will come back and pray the names from that week out loud.

We are building a prayer wall. Add a name to it.

Share this post with every prayer warrior you know. Share it with your church. Share it with your small group. Share it with the survivor in your life who needs to know there is an army standing with her.

Silence is over.

Justice is coming.

🌹🔥

Rikki Shaw is the founder of Roses From Ashes, a multimedia platform at the intersection of survivor advocacy, faith, and policy. Find her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, and at RosesFromAshes.com.