Lara Weathersbee, Chair of the DVC Board of Directors remarks, “We are delighted to welcome Ms. Pollitt Hill to the DVC and have great confidence in her deep commitment to and experience in the fields of domestic violence and sexual assault”.

Ms. Pollitt Hill brings a wealth of experience from a career devoted to human services, with particular focus on domestic violence, sexual assault, and victims’ rights.   Ms. Pollitt Hill formerly held the position of Executive Director for the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.  Her experience also includes employment at the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence.  Ms. Pollitt Hill holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practices and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Psychology from Mary Baldwin College. Ms. Pollitt Hill is currently employed by the District of Columbia Office of Victim Services as a Grants Management Specialist with oversight of District grants associated with the Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act.

For more information please contact Lara Weathersbee at lcweathersbee@gmail.com or (410) 905 – 2260.

This creative arts exhibit is open to teens ages 13 to 19. Submissions must be work expressing your sense of self–esteem. Work will be accepted in any medium including poetry, visual arts, prose, music, crafting, metal arts, woodworking or video.

Accepted work will be displayed May 3 through May 20, 2012.  A reception, featuring visual work and performances, will be held on Sunday, May 20 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Columbia Association Art Center. The Art Center is located at 6100 Foreland Garth, Columbia MD, 21045.

Submit Your Creative Work

To receive a submission entry form please call (410) 997-0304 or email:  theIAMexhibit@gmail.com. Include your name, phone number and the genre of the submission. Submission deadline: April 2, 2012

The Empowerment Movement, a leadership project of the Domestic Violence Center, focuses on promoting peaceable living and healthy relationships among youth. For more information contact Vanita Leatherwood, Director of Community Engagement at (410) 997-0304.

Literary Submissions

Prose: (includes essays) should be double-spaced and not exceed 3,500 words

Poetry: submissions are limited to 4 poems

All written submissions should be sent via attachment (as a .doc) to: theIAMexhibit@gmail.com

Be sure to include the title(s) of your submission, the genre of the submission and a biographical statement.

Visual Art

All visual art media are considered. Photographs (or discs) of visual art submissions may be mailed or sent electronically. Electronic submissions should be sent via a zip attachment to: theIAMexhibit@gmail.com

Be sure to include the title(s) of your submission, the genre of the submission and a biographical statement.

Photographs, CD discs or videos on CD may be mailed to:

The Empowerment Movement

c/o The Domestic Violence Center

5457 Twin Knolls Road, Suite 310

Columbia, MD 21045

Original artwork (ready to be displayed) will need to be delivered to the DVC office by April 2, 2012.

Biographical Statement Guidelines

All submissions must include a brief (50 words or less) biographical statement with your work. Your statement may reflect a comment on your work, where you live, your age, school, hobbies, and aspirations.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pattern of damaging and intimidating behaviors including physical, psychological, emotional, verbal, and/or sexual abuses that individuals use against a current or former partner or spouse. Victims can be of any age, culture, education, employment, gender, marital status, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Unity Fellowship Church of Columbia is an open and affirming congregation committed to providing a safe space where all can worship.

The Columbia Association Arts Center was the perfect venue for the event that attracted over ninety community members. Inside the Center’s doors attendees were surrounded by poignant works of art and an amazing quintet of musicians from the group Acoustic Praise. Composed of individuals from the DC/ Maryland corridor, the group included Tommie Adams (cello), Seth Chamberlain (piano), Brenda Dunlap-Elkins (guitar), J. Scales (percussion) and Debi Simmons (bass).

Artwork created by DVC clients was displayed as part of the Clothesline Project. The Project is a national initiative that features a visual clothesline display of t-shirts decorated with drawings and words by survivors of abuse, their children, and advocates, which represent their experiences with domestic violence.

The program began as DVC Interim Executive Director, Inga James impassionedly noted the need to address domestic violence as a social issue that affects everyone, “We have to divest ourselves of the notion that this [domestic violence] is not our problem. For the safety of our neighbors and our friends … our sisters, mothers, and brothers and sons, we have to realize that this is not a law enforcement problem or a DVC problem or even a woman’s problem. This [domestic violence] is a community problem.”

Over the last 12 months, there were four homicides in Howard County; all of them were domestic in nature. In other words, the county would have been murder free without these domestic homicides.

Samantha O’Neil, Communications Specialist, for the Howard County Government and Detective Cpl. Molly Gale, from the Howard County Police Department also spoke about the prevalence of domestic violence locally and our need to work together to eliminate this problem.

Author and survivor, Soyini Taylor shared a riveting account of the ordeal she suffered through at the hands of an ex-boyfriend. With a sense of grace and moments of humor, Taylor was able to relate how she was ambushed in front of her home and critically shot. Her attacker fled the scene and committed suicide.

The Vigil concluded with the lighting of candles and a powerful reading by poet/activist Akinfe Fatou. Fatou’s performance brilliantly communicated the haunting memory of a child witnessing a mother’s struggle with domestic violence.

Explore, Express, Empower!

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the DVC is launching a new program, the Discovery Workshops.

The Discovery Workshops are a vehicle for individuals who are not in crisis to explore issues for personal growth.  Through creative activities, as well as sharing with others, participants will learn skills to relieve stress, build resiliency and cultivate life management skills. The program uses a combination of stimulating guided discussion and interactive exercises.

Discovery Workshops will be offered four times a year. Each workshop will focus on a specific topic such as examining mother/daughter relationships, dating as a senior citizen, or healing for the healers.

Please join us as we explore the richness of our individual journey and the power of words to lift, soothe and transform!

The Fall Discovery Workshop -

“The Things You Learn When It’s Finally Over: Surviving an Unhealthy Relationship”

Saturday, October 29, 2011

3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

DVC Office

5457 Twin Knolls Road, Suite 310

Columbia, MD 21045

Suggested Donation:  $5.00

To register, please contact Vanita Leatherwood at (410) 997-0304 or outreach@dvcenter.org before October 14.

To order, send a check ($10 per book + $2.00 S/H per book) payable to MOMS Club of Elkridge to the following address:

MOMS Club of Elkridge
P.O. Box 8753
Elkridge, MD 21075

or send an email to —

cookbook@momsclubofelkridge.org

MOMS Club is a support group for mothers who choose to stay at home to raise their children. Founded in 1983 and originating in California, the program now has over 2,100 chapters in the United States with over 110,000 members. All chapters are dedicated to providing a forum for topics of interest to mothers, helping their community’s children and performing at least one service project each year.

For more information about the MOMS Club of Elkridge:

visit http://www.momsclubofelkridge.org/

To find a MOMS Club chapter in your community visit – http://www.momsclub.org/join.html

Individuals from Howard County and other Maryland regions were very creative in naming their team of five bowlers. This year’s event featured teams such as “Banking on a Strike,” “Preemptive Strike,” and “Soo Pretty.”  Other teams chose to name themselves after their place of business, such as “All Care of MD,” “CoStar Group,” and “Team Weinberg & Schwartz.” The Hope Bowl would not be possible without their commitment of time and energy to spread the word about the DVC and its services.

Many thanks also to Bittner Photography & Graphics , Brunswick Columbia Lanes, The Business Monthly Newspaper, T & T Disc Jockeys and Waterloo Pizza!

All proceeds from the Hope Bowl will go directly towards helping the thousands of women, children, and men who are in need of our life-saving services which include:

• Safe shelters and crisis counseling for victims and their children

• Legal representation and advocacy for victims

• A 24-hour Helpline (410-997-2272)

• A 24-hour Sexual Assault Helpline (410-997-3292)

• New Behaviors Abuser Intervention Program for men and women

• Short-term emergency housing for animal companions of victims

• Free community education programs on issues like dating violence and sexual assault

The DVC would also like to acknowledge the generous donations from individuals and local businesses, including—

Berrywine Plantations/Linganore Winecellers

BJ’S

BP Maple Lawn Markey Place

Circle D Farm

Clyde’s/The Tomato Palace of Columbia

The Colosseum Gym

Costco

Countryside Veterinarian Clinic

Eggspectation’s

Honest Tea

Jolie and Rob Weinberg

Katia Garcia

Kelsey’s Restaurant & Spirits

Kokopelli in the Columbia Mall

La Hacienda Mexican Food & Spirits of Ocean City MD

Looney’s Pub

MOM’s Organic Market

Origin’s in the Columbia Mall

Parkview Deli

Pandora Jewelry in the Columbia Mall

Princeton Sports

Rodi Strauss

Sarah Nesbitt

Sephora in the Columbia Mall

Starbuck’s

Steppin’ Out Kidz Shoe Store in the Columbia Mall

Susan Badra

Studio Allure Hair

Target

Teavana in the Columbia Mall

The Columbia Mall

The Morgan Inn

Trader’s Joe

Uno’s Chicago Pizzeria

Vera Bradley Store in the Columbia Mall

On behalf of our clients, staff, Board of Directors and volunteers, thank you for your generosity and for supporting our mission!