It’s Women’s History Month, and throughout March, 10 On Your Side is highlighting women making extraordinary strides and making a noteworthy difference in Hampton Roads. As part of a nationwide campaign by our parent company, Nexstar’s Media Group, we’ll bring you the the stories of four women in the running for the 2025 Remarkable Women Award.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Neisha Himes is committed to helping domestic violence survivors turn the page on a painful past and begin a new chapter of freedom, with her life’s work unfolding after withstanding a five-year abusive relationship.
“A lot of people have an idea of what domestic violence looks like,” Himes said. “And it’s just kind of put in this neat little box, and that’s not it. Coming from a survivor or victim-turned- survivor-turned-advocate-turned-specialist, what that journey looks like is just speaking out, speaking up and helping those who may be in that same situation see that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but also educating our community, and the greater community, on what domestic violence looks like, what it feels like.”
Intimate moments of sharing her testimony transformed into the birth of G.R.O.W., or Girls Recognizing our Worth, a grassroots organization established by Himes in 2016 to offer resources and support.
“Those who have been impacted by domestic violence started reaching out to me for advice on how to get out — ‘How did you do it? How did you see the signs?’ So then I said, ‘Well, I want to do more.'”
Himes’ story has been heard across schools, churches and conferences, inspiring others that they too have the power to escape the viscous cycle of abuse, also using her platform to educate the public on critical signs not to be ignored.
“It’s not just bruises and things that you can see, but there’s a lot of hidden signs that a lot of people aren’t aware of,” she said. “So over the last decade, that’s just been my mission to bring awareness and to help those who are in that situation come out.”
Much of her time is dedicated to community outreach through innovative concepts like inviting women to join her hand-in-hand in boxing gloves for self-defense training or the annual Summer Daze Ice Cream Giveaway she launched to treat survivors to something sweet throughout local shelters.
“A lot of the survivors that we’ve assisted, I still keep in contact with,” she said, adding that, “when I see them and their new home, I see that they went back to school and just got their degree. I see that they’re safe and in a healthy relationship and that they’re thriving. That is more of a thanks than I could ever ask for.”
In pursuit to make a difference, she’s become a domestic violence advocate with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and a domestic violence outreach liaison with the Newport News Police Department.
“So understanding the criminal justice system and what that looks like and then, with the local police department having the opportunity to help them start their first domestic violence unit,” she said. “So I’ve seen domestic violence in so many different vantage points.”
Himes never imagined she would live to tell all she’s endured.
“But to be standing before you and doing this work and turning pain into purpose, I think this is when it’s something like that I can look back at my past self and say, ‘You know what, girl,” says Himes. “I told you you’d make it.”
And to all domestic violence survivors, from Chesapeake she leaves one uplifting message.
“It’s just having the courage and the audacity to be you unapologetically,” Himes said. “And I finally reached that point. So that’s what I’m most proud of.”
And that’s what makes her remarkable.
The 2025 Remarkable Women winner will be announced on the Hampton Roads Show April 1.
She will receive a $1,000 donation to the charity of her choice and a free trip to Los Angeles. The winner will also be in the running to be named as Nexstar Media Group’s Woman of the Year and be awarded $25,000 to a non-profit she selects.
