It’s been a rough week, but that doesn’t negate the many beautiful and engaging events these past two months that we’ve led, collaborated on, and participated in. Here are some highlights –
Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2024: Breaking down silos
Over 150 folks came through to be in community with each other and lift up pathways for healing and justice for survivors.
Photos top to bottom, starting left: 1 Lea Aromin, CEGV; Doris O’Neal, YWCA; Amy Bullard, KCPAO; Larry Jefferson, WA State OPD; 2 Amarinthia Torres, CEGV; Bintou Tunkara, Somali Family Safety Task Force; Terri Sulaiman, Mother Nation; Bridget Griffin, YWCA; Photo 3 Roni LifeWorks resource table; Photo 4 Crowd shot from the back, watching The Good Foot Arts Collective performance.
Thank you to all our partners and collaborators, including Collective Justice, The Good Foot Arts Collective, Restorative Approaches to Intimate Violence (RAIV), Michelle Osborne, Mother Nation, Somali Family Safety Task Force, Melinda’s Creations, The Sea Mar Museum of Chicano/a/Latino/a Culture, YWCA-Seattle King County GBVSS, WA State Office of Public Defense, and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for an incredible event!
BIPOC Preventionists Retreat: rest, relationship, rejuvenation
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde
Photos: 1 Participants wrap up with an activity. 2 (left to right) Facilitators Tori Trujillo, Stacy Torres, Makhyra Gaines, with Paris Chapman.
Paris Chapman, our Transformative Justice and Violence Prevention Manager, led a group of 20+ BIPOC folks in a day of rest, relationship-building, and rejuvenation alongside facilitators who brought sound medicine and somatic healing practices into the space.
Gender-Based Violence Housing and Homelessness Collaborative: exploring the intersections
Photos: 1 Participants share out from the journey-mapping exercise, mapping out the experiences of survivors seeking safe and stable housing. 2 Planning team (left to right): Michelle Smith (MODVSA), Sparrow Carlson (KCRHA), Lea Aromin (CEGV), Hannah Whitworth (CEGV)
In partnership with the City of Seattle Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) and King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), we gathered together with 50+ folks from gender-based violence and homeless housing systems to bridge the gaps and find collective solutions.
Domestic Violence Initiative Regional Task Force: calling all South King County Leaders
Photo: Leaders in the gender-based violence field connect and discuss improvements to our region’s responses to survivors.
Co-hosted with the Sound Cities Association and in collaboration with King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, this convening was attended by 55+ people from over 25 organizations, spanning elected leaders from South King County and leaders from advocacy programs, law enforcement, and civil legal aid programs in our region.
Seeing people connect and vibe with each other at Coalition events has been incredibly affirming and drives us to find more ways to facilitate connection and practice collective care with each other. We know this benefits the larger work of supporting the self-determination and safety of survivors and we will keep at it into 2025.