Educating the NYCHA Community on Domestic Violence Resources
To mark National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, NYCHA’s Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives Department (RSPI) held two virtual events on October 13 and October 25 to educate NYCHA residents, staff, and others about resources provided by NYCHA, NYCHA partners, and other organizations that can help survivors and people currently experiencing intimate partner and domestic violence.
Approximately 275 people attended the virtual conferences. Both events featured interpreters for sign language, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
The first event, “Domestic Violence Awareness Conference 2023: Research, Data, and Lessons Learned,” was organized by the Queens/Staten Island and Brooklyn Family Partnerships units in RSPI. It was co-sponsored by the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, the NYPD, and Sanctuary for Families. It featured a keynote presentation from Edward Hill, Deputy Commissioner for Research and Evaluation at the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, and presentations from Nathalie Chevalier, Equal Justice Works Crime Victims Advocacy Project Fellow at Sanctuary for Families, and Dawana M. Castro, Sergeant Special Assignment with the New York City Police Department. There was also a viewing of a TEDx talk from Ryan Calvert, “A Mile in Her Shoes: Changing Perspective on Domestic Violence.”
The second virtual conference, “Every Survivor, Every Voice – It Takes a Village,” was organized by RSPI’s Bronx and Manhattan Family Partnerships teams.
“Intimate partner and domestic violence is a serious public health issue impacting the lives of millions of women, children, and families,” said Lauren Antoine, Manhattan Borough Administrator in Family Partnerships. “We are here to talk about it and not shy away from the issue. So why a village? It’s much more difficult to thrive and survive on your own. We want you to know the resources available to you and leave today knowing that there is hope and you are not alone.”
Maureen Curtis, Vice President of Safe Horizon, a long-time NYCHA partner, served as moderator for the event, which featured remarks from two survivors of domestic violence who started their own organizations to help other survivors. Stephanie McGraw, founder and CEO of WARM (We All Really Matter) gave a keynote presentation, sharing that she “gave birth to WARM as a survivor coming out of her own vicious cycle of abuse and turned her experience into an organization and a village.” Founded in 2010, WARM provides emergency services, including helping with emergency moves, assistance with social services applications, a 24/7 crisis hotline, crisis management, and more.
“What I know for sure is that domestic violence is a crime, it is not a shame,” Ms. McGraw said. “Our job is extremely difficult because we have to change mindsets. There have been some struggles and sadness because it’s very heavy work, but I’ve been able to take my life and use it as a classroom.”
Shamara Kelly, co-founder of Sisters in Purple, gave the survivor keynote. She shared about her healing journey and starting Sisters in Purple, which is a coalition of survivors of domestic violence working for changes in laws, policies, and systems that affect people experiencing intimate partner violence and survivors.
Following the speeches, Ms. Curtis moderated a panel featuring representatives from organizations that provide resources and assistance to people dealing with intimate partner and domestic violence. Panelists included Ines Cano, Program Director at Sanctuary for Families; Angelina Rosado, founder of Returning Hope and co-founder of Sisters in Purple; Kim Kavern, Senior Director of the Crime Victim Assistance Program at Safe Horizon; and Irlanda Fernandez, Supervisor in NYCHA’s emergency transfer program.
Resources:
Safe Horizon | Homepage
Safe Horizon 24-hour hotline: 1-800-621-HOPE (4673)