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Center For A Non Violent Community staff members Pamela Orebaugh (left photo, at left) and Rachael Reese spoke at the Women’s March and Rally held Jan. 18, 2020, in Sonora. The event was held in solidarity with other women’s marches across the nation.
They shared a message of positivity and empowerment with the community:
Pam: “We are so honored to be a part of today’s events. We work at Center For A Non Violent Community. Our mission is to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking find hope and healing. I want survivors to believe they matter. I want all of you here today to know you matter. We work every day to help people renew their lives and restore their futures after trauma occurs. And sadly, it happens every day in our community.
In the past year:
• we housed 39 adults and 26 children in our emergency shelter,
• helped 254 people find hope and healing through our support groups;
• volunteers and staff answered 590 crisis calls,
• and we provided legal advocacy and assistance to 261 people seeking restraining orders so they might have a measure of safety from those who would harm them.
Center For A Non Violent Community was born from the women’s movement, 40 years ago, a group of concerned and empowered women took action to help restore lives and renew futures. Today, we carry on their work. January is Human Trafficking and Stalking Awareness month and we march today in honor of everyone who has been harmed, everyone who has been pushed to the margins, and everyone who has been told they don’t matter. YOU MATTER. None of us needs permission to exist. We have a right to been seen and heard – in boardrooms, in the legislature, and on these streets in protest. Women’s rights are human rights, and together we will rise. I’d like to introduce my colleague, Rachael, who will tell you more about how we support women and young girls in Tuolumne County.”
Rachael: “Every year, our agency holds events to honor local women and girls and their accomplishments and to empower women to find their voice. In October, we have our Empowering Women Summit which is a free event that showcases local resources and businesses for women to explore different ways to further enrich their lives. Coming very soon in March, we have our International Women’s Day Luncheon where we will honor local women, girls and organizations that have inspired change in others. This is a fundraiser that we have been holding for several years and the proceeds have gone towards supporting specialty programs like girl’s circle and the boys council which are support groups for local youth to learn resiliency, positive social connections and skills training.
We call these events fundraisers but they are much more than just raising money. They were created to empower women of all walks of life. Women who are strong, women who are quiet and women who have been held back from reaching their goals because of past and present traumas. They were created to lend a hand to those who may need it, give an extra boost to those who are already thriving and empower everyone in between. All women and all people deserve a chance. Everyone has dreams. Everyone wants to do well, and everyone wants to be happy. We are here to support people to succeed in any way they want to. We are here to empower women to make their dreams happen.
I want to share a little story about how I was empowered and how it changed me. I was 19 when my grandpa passed away unexpectedly. My mom and I were listening to voicemails that he had left us before he passed. One was a message that simply said “it’s gonna be a great day, you can make it happen.” He said, “remember that. You can make it happen.” Those words empowered me at age 19, and just to be sure I wouldn’t forget them, I tattooed them on my shoulders. Now every time I look in the mirror I see this tattoo, I know that I am capable of making anything happen if I want to. And here I am, speaking at a women’s march. And I know, he would be here marching with us and cheering me on.
You see, just one statement can make an impact. Taking 5 minutes to hear someone else’s story can empower them to do whatever they set their mind to. This agency and these fundraisers help to make women realize that they can make it happen. They help them make connections, become independent and thrive. And I am honored to be a part of that. If you want to help us to empower and celebrate women, please join us at our International Women’s Day Luncheon at 11 a.m. March 5 at Black Oak Casino Resort. Tickets are available at www.nonviolentcommunity.org. For updates follow us on Facebook at Center For A Non Violent Community. Remember, you can make it happen.
