Power of Purple Presents ''Rebuilding Life Through Art'' April 7

The Power of Purple campaign, founded by the Rose Conrad Memorial Fund of Safe Futures in partnership with Hadassah American Affairs of Eastern Connecticut, will present a special awareness luncheon, featuring artist and domestic violence survivor, Ewa Grochowska, on Thursday, April 7th at the Holiday Inn in Norwich. For more information, visit www.SafeFuturesCT.org or call (860) 884-8945.
 
The event entitled "Surviving Domestic Violence - Rebuilding Life Through Art" will feature the theme of the healing power of art in confronting domestic violence for victims and survivors. An art exhibition featuring works by special guest Ewa Grochowska and other invited artists will begin at 10:00 A.M. The luncheon will run from 11:45 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Guests will have the option to attend both the art exhibition and the luncheon but may attend only the luncheon as their schedules permit. Sponsorships are available to businesses and Angels. Individual and organization tables are encouraged and groups are welcome. The cost for the event is $36.00 per person.
 
The featured speaker, Ewa Grochowska, is a domestic violence survivor, activist and ceramic artist. She was born in Poland and came to America when she was three years old. She experienced domestic violence in her childhood family life and in two relationships during early adulthood. As a child, she learned that her talents as an artist could help her transform the pain and trauma of domestic violence into beautiful works of art that brought her hope and solace. Her mission in life now is to help others rebuild their lives through art. Ewa introduces children in domestic violence shelters to the healing power of art by purchasing art supplies for them and creating art programs. Profits from the sale of her art works are used to purchase art supplies for her workshops at shelters including Safe Futures which serves New London County. In 2013, Ewa created Freedom4Ewa – Helping Survivors of Domestic Violence Live in Love to advocate for all who have been affected by domestic violence and to raise awareness of domestic violence through her art.
 
Ms. Grochowska’s artist statement explains: "Processing painful experiences through art is a powerful way of helping victims and survivors on their journey to freedom. My artistic ideas come out of my personal life experiences. It is a way to take all of the pain and trauma we have experienced in life and transform them into beautiful artwork with deep meaning. Each piece of pottery represents a stage in the healing process. I take a simple wheel-thrown bowl and turn it into a sign of strength by sculpting withered flower petals that breathe life from within. In spreading awareness of domestic violence through my pottery, I want every little boy and girl to grow up knowing that they are worth loving and can and will live in love."
 
In addition to Ewa Grochowska, the luncheon will feature the musical talents of singer, songwriter and domestic violence survivor, Vanessa Stevens. Vanessa's journey of breaking the cycle of abuse and domestic violence in her own life led her to create The Purple Song Project to provide hope, healing and awareness for other survivors through song. Inspiring others to heal and break the cycle of abuse in their lives, she composes and co-writes theme songs for related television films and events, helping abuse survivors to thrive and create.
 
The Power of Purple campaign takes action against domestic violence by raising awareness and by educating the general public and the professional community of responders to domestic violence. Three women are killed every day in the U.S. by their intimate partners and one in four American women will be abused in her lifetime. Millions of our children are victims and bystanders of domestic violence and still many more victims are left in the shadows, paralyzed by fear, terror and shame and by the failure of our institutions to adequately recognize and respond. The Power of Purple Campaign brings domestic violence out of the shadows and into the open through awareness, education and action.
 
Purple is the color of Domestic Violence and is a reminder to honor and give hope to battered women and their children who are living in violent homes. The Power of Purple Campaign strives to put purple on the map of our consciousness so it will be a recognizable symbol of the education and action needed to end domestic violence.
 
As Chair of American Affairs for the Hadassah chapter and founder of the Rose Conrad Memorial Fund of Safe Futures, Sheila Horvitz is chairing the event with a committee made up of representatives from both sponsoring organizations as well as many community organizations. "As our Power of Purple campaign goes from strength to strength, we will continue to engage our community with programs of awareness, education and action. We look forward to a beautiful and meaningful luncheon with a powerful speaker and message about healing the wounds and trauma of domestic violence through the expressive arts. Ewa Grochowska and Vanessa Stevens are artists and survivors who can inspire and empower us to work together toward the elimination of domestic violence in our community," says Sheila Horvitz, founder of the Rose Conrad Memorial Fund.
 
Surviving Domestic Violence – Rebuilding Life Through Art luncheon and art exhibition will be the seventh awareness raising event presented by the Power of Purple Campaign. The campaign, which began in 2013, has presented three community forums and three annual Hot Cider Walks & Rallies. The Power of Purple Campaign has won awards state-wide for its community outreach and advocacy and a National Hadassah Advocacy Award presented at the Annual Convention in Las Vegas in July, 2014.
 
The Rose Conrad Memorial Fund was founded by Sheila Horvitz in 2005. As a matrimonial attorney in southeastern Connecticut for over thirty years, she saw the problem of domestic violence first hand, most dramatically in the murder of her client, Rose Conrad, at the hands of her husband during their divorce case. Out of that tragedy, the Rose Conrad Memorial Fund was born to bring awareness and education to the victims and their responders in the health, education, legal and criminal justice communities. Since its founding, the Fund, under the umbrella of Safe Futures, has mounted educational conferences, programs for children affected by domestic violence and fundraising events.
 
Hadassah is the largest women's organization in America and is committed to unwavering devotion to Zionism and American ideals. In the U.S., through its American Affairs branch, Hadassah reaches its goals by advocating for issues of importance to women and to the American Jewish community. Its advocacy includes policy statements, direct advocacy, legislative initiatives, and lobbying political leaders on the local, state and national level. Hadassah has been outspoken in support of initiatives to end domestic violence and is a strong supporter of the Violence Against Women Act, advocating for its passage and reauthorization. In its policy statement on Violence Against Women, Hadassah "reaffirms its long-standing commitment to women’s rights and women’s health needs. To these ends, we actively condemn all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence. Hadassah therefore pledges to work directly to educate its members and their communities about violence against women, both inside and out of the Jewish community. Hadassah will also continue to advocate for legislative initiatives aimed at ending this violence and supporting the needs of battered women and their families."
 
Safe Futures, founded in 1976 as the Women’s Center of Southeastern CT, saves lives, restores hope and changes the future for those impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault throughout New London County. Annually, Safe Futures provides free, confidential services to nearly 5,000 women, children and men. During the last year, Safe Futures saved the lives of 211 women and children who fled abuse and were sheltered at Genesis House, the safe house; restored hope by providing housing, training and support for 51 individuals in families living in its Phoenix House transitional living program; and change the future for over 4,300 students, who participated in violence prevention education programs, including the popular VIP (Violence is Preventable) program. Hotlines and the women-and-children-only emergency shelter are staffed and operating 24/7/365, providing round-the-clock accessibility to Safe Futures’ services.
 
Safe Futures is part of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV).  Safe Futures is also a Partner Agency of United Way and its programs are funded in part by the State of Connecticut’s Departments of Social Service, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and Office of Victim Services, Judicial Branch. 
 
What: Surviving Domestic Violence - Rebuilding Life Through Art
Luncheon and Art Exhibition
featuring Artist and Survivor Ewa Grochowska
and singer-songwriter and survivor Vanessa Stevens
 
Where: Holiday Inn Norwich
10 Laura Boulevard
Norwich, CT 06360
 
When: Thursday, April 7, 2015
Art Exhibition: 10:00 A.M. - 11:45 A.M.
Luncheon: 11:45 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
           
How: For more information visit www.SafeFuturesCT.org
Or call (860) 884-894

Event cost: $36.00 per person
Sponsors, community partners and table captains are welcome.