Our Daily Show Interview! Heartbreak to Hope on April 11th at YWCA!
ALTON - Community members are invited to learn their neighbors’ stories at an upcoming “Heartbreak to Hope” showcase through 3 Purple Coats Productions, the YWCA, and Healing Illinois.
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From 1–3 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, the YWCA will host the “Heartbreak to Hope” show, featuring six community activists’ stories about resilience. Leah Becoat, founder of 3 Purple Coats Productions, has recorded and edited videos of each person’s story, which will be shared with the audience on April 11.
“As I interviewed the people and listened to their stories, each one had a sense of heartbreak,” Becoat said. “There was a pivot in their life for sure. But within that, a lot of hope, a lot of resilience.”
The free showcase will feature stories from Ben Golley, Vernetta Caffey, Dr. Nana Becoat, Minister Joyce Elliott, Abe Lee Barham and Becky Cowart. The show itself will last around 50 minutes, followed by the Q&A and a chance to mingle and enjoy refreshments.
Becoat explained that the Field Foundation through Healing Illinois distributed $4.5 million to different regions in Illinois in 2020. The YWCA received some of this money and hired Becoat to facilitate this project.
As she spoke to the interviewees, Becoat recognized a recurring theme. She acknowledges that everyone has a story of “heartbreak,” including herself; she was taking care of her father, who had Alzheimer’s, throughout the project.
But the connection Becoat experienced as she met with each interviewee, along with her Christian faith, has helped her manage her grief. Similarly, everyone she interviewed told a story of overcoming pain. The title — “Heartbreak to Hope” — speaks to that transformation and resilience.
“We think we know a person until we don’t. We’re like, wow, I never knew that about you,” she shared. “I learned so much, I really did. It was a joy and pain to hear them.”
She hopes the showcase will be equally meaningful to attendees. She added that each interview is a story of “humanity,” and she believes they encourage viewers to “broaden our horizons” by listening to these “diverse and very meaningful” stories.
Becoat also noted that 3 Purple Coats Productions has several events coming up. You can check out their official Facebook page for updates.
She believes the “Heartbreak to Hope” showcase will be a powerful experience for all, and she encourages people to share their own stories of resilience.
“There is hope, there is healing, there is another pathway to get there from pain, from heartbreak, from the things that cause us trauma,” she added. “We know that we can overcome them. That doesn’t mean that we deny them. It doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. But we find hope in humanity.”
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