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Volume 14 * Issue 1 * Spring 2017
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SPEAKING FOR REACH, SPEAKING FOR ONESELF:
THE IMPORTANCE OF SAYING NO
The following piece is a reflection from M, a member of our
Survivor Speakers Bureau.
No is a word I have always been uncomfortable with. I always prided myself on being nice or sweet. But I have grown up. I have realized sometimes being nice or sweet to myself means saying no to someone else. I started practicing saying no to people I felt safe with, for example people at REACH. I have moved on to harder situations to assert myself - such as my ex. And I feel great about it.
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Laura R. Van Zandt
Photo by David Barron |
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WHAT LAURA IS THINKING...
I am thinking about men and masculinity. I attended the 10th Annual
White Ribbon Day event in Boston on March 1. The Massachusetts coalition,
Jane Doe Inc., has organized this event each year and each year it gets bigger. There are more people, more men, more young men, more men in public and leadership roles, and more stories: more stories about men witnessing abusive behavior as children; men talking with female survivors of violence; men taking a role in intervening, teaching or speaking out about violence against women.
This year, Governor Baker talked about how 25 years ago, domestic violence was a "concept" and that concept became real for him when he met a survivor at a domestic violence shelter. The Governor talked about "batterers" and their "demons." Sitting in that room at Faneuil Hall, listening to his words, I started to think about what it means to be so profoundly impacted by a story; one person's experience of the devastation of domestic violence that "opens your eyes" or "resonates" or "changes your perspective." It is powerful. And it is just one story. When we focus on the awfulness of one person's story, the "demons", the individual experience, we risk losing sight of the systemic issues that contribute to this persistent ill.
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MEET THE CO-CHAIRS
Longtime REACH supporters Liz & Pete Carpenter and Pat & Clint Moon are this year's
Reach for the Stars Gala
Co-Chairs. We are delighted to have their positive energy and professional strengths lead the committee to make this fundraiser another successful one. Read on to get to know them.
Tell us about yourselves.
Pat: I am a Boston girl, having grown up in the Cambridge/Somerville area. Two traits that may
validate that is my love for all Boston sports, and I am the second of eight childre
n. I even attended college locally graduating from Emerson
in the '90s
with a BA in Marketing.
I enjoyed a fun career in advertising account service in the '80s, dabbled a bit in the dot-com industry
, then switched over to operations in a variety of industries, including my current employer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
I really do love to travel, even if it's just hiking at Blue Hills to enjoy the spectacular view. You can get away on an airplane, or simply on foot. To add to my love of the outdoors and nature, I also have a passion for golf and skiing.
Liz:
I grew up in Duxbury, and have lived, studied, and worked in New
England for most of my life! After a career in public relations, I chose to stay home to raise my three sons in Wellesley. My hobbies include reading,
yoga, cycling and golf.
Left:
Liz and Pete Carpenter
Right:
Pat and Clint Moon with Laura Van Zandt (left)
How did you first get involved with REACH?
Pat: Sometimes it's who you hang around! Laura Van Zandt is a dear friend of mine since our daughters became good friends in preschool. Five years ago, Laura invited my husband Clint and me to the Reach for the Stars Gala at the WGBH Studios. We were warmly welcomed from start to finish, inspired by the speeches of survivors and speakers, and we immediately knew we'd like to be involved in REACH.
Liz: When I was a member of the
Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club, we awarded a grant to REACH. Laura spoke to us to express her thanks. I was very moved by what she said, and amazed at how many women and children had been affected by domestic violence - right in my own backyard! The issue is so far-reaching, yet still so taboo; so much abuse goes undetected and undiscussed. I wanted to get involved however I could.
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UPCOMING DATES
March 17, 9:30am-12:30pm
Free Training Opportunity
Domestic Violence 101
March 24, 9:30am-12:30pm
Free Training Opportunity
September 9, 1:00pm
Waltham Neighborhoods Fall Festival
Waltham Public Library
Rain or Shine!
InterContinental Boston
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WE'RE MOVING!
We are delighted to share that after many months of looking, we have found and secured REACH's new office space. It is more spacious, more accessible, and more efficient.
More than 10,000 square feet of space will accommodate staff, survivors, children, volunteers - all of our community-based programs, each of which have been growing so much over the past several years. This new space will allow us to serve more people and serve them better. The office will have multiple conference and meeting rooms where we can increase the number and variety of group activities we provide - such as writing workshops for survivors, high school youth leadership meetings or domestic violence trainings for community members. We are glad to still be in Waltham, a location where we have connections and community as well as access to the 26 other towns we serve. We are planning some improvements and can't wait to get in there soon.
As we take this big step, we are so grateful to all our supporters who have helped to make this all possible. We look forward to keeping you informed as we move along with the project and ways that you can get involved.
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HELP END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
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[FAX]
781.891.3861
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[HOTLINE]
800.899.4000
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