As I write this, I reflect on Black History Month and one of my sheroes, Rosa Parks. Although she is well known for her role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, she is also an icon in the movement to end sexual violence.
“In 1944, a Black woman organized others in her community to protect and defend Black women and girls against violations of sexual assault in the Jim Crow South. As branch secretary of the Montgomery NAACP, she investigated the acts of rampant sexual violence committed against Black women. She was responsible for collecting testimonies of Black women and girls’ hostile experiences in the workplace, social spaces, and those committed at the dark end of the street. For many years, she led local and national coalitions, created national media opportunities, and urged Black women to speak out in the struggle against sexual violence. Though her contribution to the progress of Black people is mainly attributed to her refusing to move to the back of the bus, her actual work and its impact on the humanity of Black women and girls in the face of overt sexual violence” is monumental. (Read more here.)
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month reminds us to not be complacent with the statistic that 1 in 3 high schools students will experience violence at the hands of someone they are going out with. The numbers are higher for LGBQ or Trans youth and youth of color.
Everyday we at CHH support survivors living at intersections. Of poverty. Of racism. Of genocide. Of substance abuse. Of sexism. Of disabilities. This Black History and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, we honor and applaud those who came before us in the movement to end sexual violence and who did so with an understanding of the multiple identities survivors hold and the challenges we/they face.
Isa Woldeguiorguis, Executive Director
February: Teen Dating Violence Month AND Black History Month
The 2019 Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) campaign theme is “Huddle Up for Healthy Relationships.”
This campaign aims to empower young people to build healthy relationships from the ground up. We invite you to join the huddle and raise awareness about healthy relationships with us!
We encourage you to wear ORANGE on FEBRUARY 12 to create awareness and start the conversation about dating abuse! Post your pictures on social media and tag @chhlowell, we will repost posts with the #CHHLovesConsent hashtag!
CHH LGBQ/T Community Organizer, Javier Andrés “Dre” Vargas shares one of their favorites:
“The Autobiography of Malcolm X
as told to Alex Haley.”
All month-long we will be featuring CHH staff on social media with their favorite picks of movies and books that help them reflect and learn more about Black History not only in February, but all year round!
“This book paints a beautiful picture ofMalcolm X’s life with all of the complexities with which he lived. In reflecting on his life he addshow he understood those experiences looking back on them so the book reads as though someone is telling you a story.
This book was given to me as a gift once I graduated high school by one of my dorm counselors with a special dedication on the inside. For me, being gifted this book marked the beginning of intentional social justice work.”
HealingCorps Highlight
Meet Lucia Pacitti!
Lucia is a Hotline and Medical Volunteer Advocate who averages 70 hours of service a month. She is always ready to support her teammates and friends. We are proud to have her on our team. In her spare time, Lucia gardens, reads, practices yoga, and loves to spend time with her grandchildren. These are also her “go-to’s” for self care! Read more about what Lucia says about her experience as a HealingCorps Volunteer:
“I immigrated to the United States from Portugal at 16. All my adult life I worked at jobs that ‘paid the bills,’ but I always knew I wanted to do something meaningful, to be in a position where I could provide service to others and give back to the community that welcomed me. Finding CHH was just what I was looking for at just the right time. Being accepted as a volunteer, and becoming part of such an awesome group of people that provides great service and hope to so many has been a blessing. My experience with CHH has been very fulfilling. In addition to being of service to others, I have learned much about the services we provide, the need that exists for so much more, and about myself.