It's Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we wanted to highlight an amazing organization that we collaborate with - The Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. The Coalition was established in 1977 and serves the entire state of Nebraska. It is the coordinating force behind 20 programs that provide various support services like emergency shelter, transport, legal and medical advocacy, and training.
In recognition that the roots of violence are interrelated and linked to various forms of oppression that persist in our society, the Coalition decided to begin a journey of prioritizing these overarching issues in their work so they could effect social change and more meaningfully assist survivors. They knew that developing this intentionality in their work, where they prioritize stopping violence before it begins, would help them to best serve survivors. In 2017, they sought out Inclusive Communities to help them on this journey by taking them through the concepts such as microaggressions based on race, sexuality and gender, intersectionality, identity, and the cycles of socialization and bias.
Since 2017, our relationship has been consistent and we've seen the immense growth of inclusivity for the Coalition and its network organizations. We have deepened the topics that we discuss, primarily around how bias shows up in our lives and what we can do on an individual, community and organizational level to address it while at the same time being self-sustainable in this work. We've seen how they have incorporated these concepts into their masterplan as they strategically build upward for years to come.
We particularly love their recognition and their message that there are multiple truths when it comes to being a survivor. For example, when it comes to seeking out assistance from official agencies and law enforcement, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, immigrant and other marginalized communities may not see these avenues as being an option for them. The Coalition has actively listened and become more inclusive in their work through the years, exploring safe and varied solutions that are meaningful for all survivors.
The Coalition strives to reach the "last girl," which is figurative for the most vulnerable person in society. Their belief is that if their actions and efforts can support that person, then they will be positioned to reach every survivor across Nebraska. We are honored to be part of this organization's journey.
You can learn more about the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence and get involved with their activities by visiting their website.
