Appearing at Being Brave 2021, Reverend Susan Kramer-Mills, executive director of Town Clock Community Development Corporation, will highlight the unique facilities and program that provides permanent
“When survivors of domestic violence come to Town Clock CDC to rebuild their lives, their emotional and physical ‘wings’ are broken. How does one heal broken wings? Healing requires good care in a safe place, and time.” Rev. Susan Kramer-Mills
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (PRWEB)
October 22, 2021
Town Clock Community Development Corporation is pleased to announce a stellar lineup for this year’s Being Brave: An Evening Honoring Survivors, which will be held on Saturday, October 30, 2021, 7 pm, at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. In-person tickets and livestream tickets are on sale. The event will benefit Town Clock Community Development Corporation (TCCDC), a New Brunswick nonprofit that manages Dina’s Dwellings and The Barbara Littman House, unique facilities that provide permanent, affordable, safe housing and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and their children.
Melba Moore – Performing and Receiving the 2021 Being Brave Award
Tony Award winner Melba Moore is a multifaceted entertainer and R&B legend whose career includes four Grammy nominations, television shows and movies. Moore was sexually abused as a child and experienced domestic violence as an adult. A deeply spiritual person, Moore is dedicated to community service and helping others.
Freddie Jackson – Presenting the 2021 Being Brave Award to Melba Moore
Since the mid 1980s, Freddie Jackson has been a mainstay on Quiet Storm radio. When the sun went down, the moon rose, the candles were lit, and the wine poured, Freddie Jackson’s classics like “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake),” “Have You Ever Loved Somebody,” “Jam Tonight,” “Do Me Again,” “Tasty Love,” “You Are My Lady,” and “Nice & Slow” have been a part of our soundtrack for romance.
Abigail Hawk – Performing an Excerpt from The Gift of Time with additional talent and produced by coLAB Arts.
Abigail Hawk is a New York-based actor, singer, writer, humanitarian, and mom. Abigail has guest-starred on television shows Law and Order: SVU, Body of Proof, The Jim Gaffigan Show, and Are We There Yet? She is most recognizable as Detective Abigail Baker, the unflappable right hand of NYPD Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) on CBS’ Blue Bloods.
Reverend Susan Kramer-Mills – Keynote Address
Rev. Susan Kramer-Mills, executive director of Town Clock Community Development Corporation, will deliver her annual keynote address on how to help survivors of domestic violence. The theme of this year’s Being Brave event is “Spreading Our Wings”. “When survivors of domestic violence come to Town Clock CDC to rebuild their lives, their emotional and physical ‘wings’ are broken. How does one heal broken wings? Healing requires good care in a safe place, and time. Getting those three components just right is complicated. This is especially true in New Jersey where there are only 17 permanent apartments for survivors, but more than 70,000 annual cases of domestic violence in New Jersey. 57% of homeless women say domestic violence is the root cause of them not having a place to live.”
Bert Baron – Hosting
A New Jersey native and lifelong resident, Bert Baron is a New Jersey Broadcasters Association Radio Hall of Fame Inductee & award-winning writer, producer, and podcaster. Bert has garnered a nomination for a prestigious Marconi Award from the National Association of Broadcasters, as well as winning more than a dozen JERSEY Awards from the New Jersey Advertising Club, highlighted by his being honored as “Best of Radio” in 2016.
Keyona Lashawn – Performing
Keyona Lashawn is an American singer and songwriter from New Jersey. In 2018 she first gained recognition for performing and winning first place at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City, where she was acknowledged by one of her idols, Mr. Freddie Jackson, who became her mentor and later got her signed to his label at Climax Entertainment. In 2020 she released her debut single, “Falling in Love.”
Elevation Singers – Performing under the Direction of Vinroy D. Brown, Jr.
Elevation Singers, led by Vinroy D. Brown, Jr., is a new ensemble dedicated to performing the breadth of diverse repertoire from all communities, especially those of color. Almost all of the performers share a unifying experience through their vocal studies at Westminster Choir College. Singers include: Silky Carter, Arcia Stokes, Mariel Johnson, Gia Ware, George Johnson III, Cyrus Fitzgerald, and Asa Vaughn-Burnett.
Ahmed “JKing” Wallace – Performing
Born and raised in Newark, NJ, Ahmed “JKing” Wallace is a world-traveled singer, musician, composer and writer. Most known for his work on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, he has had the pleasure of supporting such artists as Matchbox 20 and Justin Timberlake, lending his vocals to projects selling over 50 million worldwide and earning 9 Grammys.
Laura Daquila – Painting/On-stage Artist
Laura Daquila started art at a young age and is a graduate from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, trained in drawing, watercolor, photography, and sculpture. A survivor of domestic violence, Laura sets up a small street gallery that moves around NYC and sells her artwork. Her main influences are the streets of NYC and Los Angeles. She teaches private lessons and at a few shelters around the city. Her focus is on watercolor and ink and pen currently, although she finds inspiration when it comes.
E. Denise Peoples – Performing Spoken Word
E. Denise Peoples is a Paterson, NJ began her career in the accounting field. In 2001, her life took a surprising turn, when she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. After living an unbelievable journey she received a double lung transplant on Monday, October 2, 2006. Years later she joined the NJ Sharing Network as Hospital and Community Services Coordinator. She educates the community on the importance of organ and tissue donation. Denise is an author, storyteller, motivator and much more.
NJ Men – Joining #TheManStand
#TheManStand is one of the most powerful moments of Being Brave: An Evening Honoring Survivors, where the stage fills with men who pledge to take a stand against domestic violence in their own lives and their communities. Ending the cycle of domestic violence takes a village, and men play a crucial role in achieving this goal. Leading #TheManStand will be Robert Rawls, Fire Director/OEM Coordinator, City of New Brunswick Fire Department, and Kyle Holder, former Rutgers Track and Field star, who once headed SCREAM Athletes (Students Challenging Realities and Educating Against Myths).
Lauren Weinstein – The Gift of Time: Town Clock CDC’s Mission to Heal (Comic Book)
Award-winning cartoonist and Town Clock resident artist Lauren Weinstein has created an original graphic novella about Town Clock CDC and our brave resident survivors. Drawing from interviews with Town Clock staff, board members, and survivors, Lauren explores Town Clock’s history and how it transforms the lives of women and children who have experienced domestic violence. With stunning artwork and compassionate storytelling, The Gift of Time is a testament to the work of Town Clock and the healing power of art. Order this limited-edition comic book now!
Additional show participants can be found at https://www.townclockcdc.org/being-brave.
Leading sponsors for this event include: Parker Life, Hallmark Mahogany, Shaw Divorce and Family Law, The Littman Family and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital/RWJ Barnabas Health. A full list of event sponsors can be found here: https://www.townclockcdc.org/being-brave.
In addition, three 2021 Community Awards for Being Brave will be presented.
The Outstanding Provider Award is given to an individual or group who provides emergency services to survivors of domestic violence. Safe+Sound Somerset will be honored for its work on the front lines through the pandemic, supporting an increasing number of victims of domestic violence and providing them with critically needed services.
The Outstanding Volunteer Award is given to an individual or group who is a driving force in volunteering and/or philanthropy. United Methodist Church of New Brunswick will be honored for its ministry to feed the hungry, whose numbers grew during the pandemic. They also provided meals to domestic violence survivors and their children, who reside at Town Clock Community Development Corporation.
The Outstanding Advocate Award is given typically to an individual or group who challenges perceptions and educates the public about domestic violence. In response to the challenge of educating students during the pandemic, Gisela Ciancia, Roosevelt School Principal, New Brunswick, will be honored for helping Town Clock children, all of whom experienced domestic violence. Principal Ciancia will receive this honor in recognition of all educators who help the 1 in 15 children exposed to domestic violence each year.
Town Clock CDC – 1 of 40 in US
Town Clock Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization (http://www.TownClockCDC.org). Town Clock CDC’s main facility – Dina’s Dwellings – opened in April 2016 after the sanctuary of the 200-year-old First Reformed Church of New Brunswick was transformed into 10 long-term affordable housing units with supportive services for survivors. In October 2020, Town Clock CDC expanded its facility by transforming the church’s sexton house into a home for a mother and up to five children. This housing model is one of only 40 establishments of its kind in the entire United States, and remains the largest permanent housing program for survivors of domestic violence and their children in New Jersey. In 2019, Town Clock CDC launched the Being Brave Event & Award to raise awareness of and promote advocacy.
Domestic Violence
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. It can include physical and sexual violence, psychological abuse and financial control. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence finds that 57% of homeless women cite domestic violence as cause of their homelessness, and 33% of women have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime. The Childhood Domestic Violence Association cites that children who experience domestic violence are six times more likely to commit suicide, 50% more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, 74% more likely to commit a violent crime and three times more likely to repeat the cycle of abuse in adulthood.
https://www.facebook.com/TownClockCDC
https://www.instagram.com/townclockcdc/