S4 E13: Friendship, Healing, and Transformation: An Unspoken Conversation with April Klinter

In this heartfelt episode of Unspoken: Conversations with Candace, Candace is joined by her longtime friend and “Chica Bonita,” April Klinter. Together, they revisit their 20+ year friendship, the journey of supporting each other through motherhood, trauma, and growth, and how pivotal moments—like attending the Hope Shining Blue event—ignited Candace’s path as an author, podcast host, and advocate.

This episode is about the power of friendship, the courage to speak your truth, and how healing conversations can inspire transformation.

If you’ve ever needed a reminder that your voice matters and that you’re not alone in your healing journey—this episode is for you.

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Unspoken Conversations with Candace
 01:12 – Introducing my work bestie, April Klinter (“my Chica Bonita”)
 03:10 – How Candace and April first met at work in 2002
 07:45 – Building friendship through motherhood and shared struggles
 10:28 – Opening up about trauma and unhealthy relationships
 14:50 – The Hope Shining Blue event (2016) that planted the seed
 18:30 – How seeing other survivors inspired Candace’s healing journey
 22:15 – Writing the book Unspoken and finding purpose
26:05 – Pandemic challenges, publishing the book, and launching the podcast
30:20 – Becoming a life (Thrive) coach and advocate for survivors
33:45 – Receiving the Thrive Award and what it means
38:00 – Reflections on friendship, healing, and support
41:22 – Closing message: You’re not alone, and your story matters

Transcript

Meeting April And Early Days

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Welcome to Unspoken Conversations with Candace, where we talk openly about taboo topics in order to spark difficult and uncomfortable conversations, where we allow a safe place for anyone who has had trauma to be heard. Unspoken Conversations with Candace is about speaking your truth by using your voice because you matter. Welcome to another episode of Unspoken Conversations with Candace. Today I am so happy to have one of my besties in the studio with me, Miss April Clint. I shouldn't say Miss, Mrs. April Clinter, but my girl, my Chica April. I call her my Chica Bonita.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

You you do, and I love that. I love that. So welcome to my podcast. Thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

And you know, today I just wanted us to kind of talk about, you know, the journey that I think we've been on and just the transformation that I know you you always remind me of, April. And I really appreciate that of you know having you as my friend and support system all these years. Um, it goes back to 2002, I believe. Yep, it sure does. And so tell me a little bit about when we first met and just from your perspective, your lab.

Trust, Trauma, And Friendship

SPEAKER_01 1:35

So when we first met was one of my first projects that I had to do for Wheaton. And I was coming down to your location. So I was based out of Glendale, but coming down by you and Racine, and I wasn't really well received because I was actually down there to move everything that was down there back to Glendale. And most of the people who were there did not want to move. They didn't want to work from Glendale, they didn't want to have to have all their servers and everything that was come that were coming back come back. And you happened to be along with two others, very, very friendly, very helpful. And I gravitated towards you right away because you, well, first of all, that smile. You're looking at me with it right now. So there's that beautiful, beautiful smile. And then on top of that, it just, you know, you were just like, just tell me what you need, tell me how I can help you. And I don't think you really at that point wanted to move either because you were living, you know, closer to that location than you were the one I was moving to you to, but you were just so welcoming. And there's just something about you like I think you put people at ease, you know, like when you first talk to people and you start just your conversations and how you greet people and your smile. That's why people open it up to you. Because I think you're just very you, you, you exude that. Like you exude, like I am a person you can trust, and and you can come to me or we can have conversations and feel comfortable about it.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Well, and I think that has a lot to do with like my trauma, my story. You know, I know I didn't trust, so I wanted others to be able to trust me. So yeah, so that was just something that I think I know I had to work on, you know, to allow people in. And I felt your energy. I know when we first met, we hit it off right away. We did, yeah. So that was our working relationship. And then outside of work, we became great friends. I mean, you knew I had kids at that young age and you had little ones. And so we were both working moms, right? Managing a household, managing our families. And then I think we kind of talked, I think I shared with you. I disclosed my trauma, my abuse as a child, what I had kind of gone through and how I wasn't in a very healthy relationship with the father of my children. And and you know, Randy, we we both acknowledged those types of things that the trauma that we, you know, that I call it dysfunction. He doesn't like me using that word, but that's really what I felt we had for many years. And you were always such a support system. And then we come to the Hope Shiny Blue, like in 2026. So all those years of working together, building our relationship, and then in 2016, you invited me to the Hope Shiny Blue event.

Becoming Working Mom Allies

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Yeah, so it was it was interesting because it was just kind of a thing that that popped up. So one of the our coworkers said, Hey, my husband has a table, we have room. Would you we we were talking for some other reason? Would you want to come? And I said yes, and I said, You know, we should bring Candace. I said, This would be a great event for her to come and see the other survivors and kind of, you know, get an idea of what people are doing in this space and how maybe she could add to it. And so that's where that started. And we got there and it was the the event space, you know, it was at Turner Hall. It was really well set up, it was it was inviting. We walked in, we felt like it was just a good place to be for people who wanted to talk about trauma or wanted to, you know, help others who had been through it. So I feel like that was kind of the catalyst for for the beginning of your journey as a podcast host and a book author.

Hope Shining Blue Plants A Seed

SPEAKER_00 4:46

So yes, and I think at that event it was more just you planted the seed. And then I think it was so and I hadn't even started writing the book at that time. I didn't start writing the book until July of 2017. Right. Then we go to Hope Shining Blue in 2018. I was already a year into my book, and I had seen the Thrive Award winner at that point was Erica. And I went to church with her, didn't know who she was, and then all of a sudden I'm seeing her being celebrated, and her story was so much like my story. Yeah. And that's where my tears and my vulnerability, and I'm like, oh my God, what I'm doing is exactly what I need to be doing. Right. Telling my story to make an impact.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

You were definitely in a you were in an empathetic space. I mean, you definitely felt her, what she was talking about, but it also brought you some joy, like to see somebody who had been through it, and you could see it, like you could see in your face that you were, you were, you were watching somebody who had been through something, and now they were getting an award for what they had gone and done. And and I know it probably at that point lit that little fire that you needed because you were ear into your book, kind of thinking, you know, where am I going with this? How am I going to end it? And then you I think it was the catalyst you needed to really get yourself back on track and moving with the book and to see other things that were possible.

2018 Award Moment And Clarity

SPEAKER_00 5:57

Right. And I think from the author then being published, you know, then the pandemic hit, right? And then it's basically where you're in your home doing absolutely nothing. You're not engaging with, and we were extra, I mean, I was an extrovert. I kind of think I'm a little bit of an introvert now because now I love just being at home and not going. But the funny thing was is November 2020, when I finally published the book, was during COVID, during that pandemic state, I was able to really focus on the book and finish it. And even during the year the year prior to that, working on the podcast, recording and getting episodes recorded, and finding the right guest to launch season one, you know, and so between the book and the podcast and then doing some speaking engagements, becoming a life coach, like just the and then again, now with the Hope Shiny Louie event coming up in two weeks, having being honored. I'm I'm so humbled to get this award as the Thrive Award because now I feel like this I'm an advocate. And that word, I was I never really saw myself as an advocate two years ago, right? Now it's like I feel this personal responsibility. Everyone kept telling me the book's gonna have an impact. And I'm like, and it's like when you're in it, you just you're just going through the motions. But now that like I know denim day is gonna be that big celebration, and I'm I'm like, oh my goodness, this is this pinch me. Somebody just pinch me. Is this really happening? So I'm just excited that you're gonna be there cheering me on.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

And if I could pop in, yes, okay. So I'll keep you here if you guys are good to go. So uh got to hear a little bit about you guys here and just a little bit of background, which is awesome. And if you is that okay, can I hit record?

Recording Wrap And Listener Invitation

Writing The Book And The Podcast

SPEAKER_00 7:26

Okay, cool. Thank you so much for listening to this conversation about healing, encouragement, and support. Trust that there is power in speaking your truth and sharing your experience with others because you can have an impact or even save someone's life. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay engaged in our unspoken conversations with Candace. And if you have been impacted by trauma and need tools to heal, consider purchasing a copy of my book titled Unspoken available on Amazon. Thanks again, and remember, you're not alone.