D.V.A.M.??????

D.V.A.M. = DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

Every October, we observe the month to reflect on the previous year, remember those that have passed away due to this crime and continue the fight to ending domestic violence. This is a serious time of the month for me. If you know me or have read anything that I've posted or published, you know my tag line is: BREAK THE SILENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. This is the time of year that advocates like myself, use as many platforms that we can to bring more awareness to our families, communities and political arenas. Is this the only time of the year that we speak out against domestic violence? Of course not!

DVAM is not the only month that women and men wear purple or place purple ribbons everywhere. I always get amazed at the story or testimony that comes from a person that is wearing purple or showcasing their ribbon. You never know who is a victim, survivor, friend or family member of the first two. Maybe it's just their job at a local agency or shelter. Whatever their story is, domestic violence has affected them in way or another.

I am in the start up phase of A New Me Foundation filing to be a tax exempt foundation. So during DVAM I am gaining as much statistics on funding cycles and grants awarded and budgets cuts made to other agencies that are domestic violence, service providers. I am using this month to extend networking opportunities with other agencies to help crisis victims that can't always go to shelters and chooses to stay at home with their abusive partners. I am using this time to use the gift that God has blessed me with: going out into the communities and facilitating several speaking engagements at churches, dinners and plays. This month my foundation will take volunteers to a homeless shelter to help service the needs of those that live there. Someone living there at the homeless shelter could be the result of the "no room at the domestic violence shelter" policy and had no other choice but to go there for safety.

A New Me Foundation along with F.A.C.E.I.T. (Friends Advocating for Causes Effectively Immediately Today), will be hosting a Relationship Forum at The Music Station on Thursday, October 27, 2011 from 8-11PM. The moderator for the evening will be the beautiful and funny comedienne Rashida "Buff Bay" Lucas. General Admission tickets are $10 and V.I.P. tickets are $35. This forum is to gather men and women together to openly discuss issues, challenges and promote healthy relationship alternatives to those that have the challenges. This forum creates a safe place for men and women to have a discussion that in one way or another break the cycles of violence but hopefully began new lives and new possibilities of ways of thinking and acting in our relationship with others. There will be a panel of selected individuals to give there input on the questions the audience have as well.

DVAM is what you make it. Get the facts about domestic violence and start having conversations with those closest to you that will in turn, go out in to the communities and BREAK THE SILENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!!!

My prayer is that you have read this and other blogs of mine and have been inspired to do something to help empower our women, men and their children that have suffered from this traumatic experience and crime. May God continue to lift up the family members of those that carry on the torch and legacy of those that have passed away. Your hard work is not in vain.