Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Kellibrew Addresses Mississippi Teens

Domestic violence survivors to address rural Mississippi teens

October 26, 2009 Lexington, Mississippi
Posted by:HelpMeetLLC1

CNN producer note
iReport —

ARISE, take charge and prevent domestic violence!

LEXINGTON, Miss. -- According to a Bureau of Justice Special Report: “Intimate Partner Violence,” 40 percent of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

The ARISE (Assistance for Rural, Intervention, Strategies and Empowerment) Project is working hard to prevent such occurrences. In observance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, ARISE will present a Domestic Violence/Abuse Prevention Forum, Tonight, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m., in the Community Students Learning Center building, 333 Yazoo Street, Lexington, Miss.

The program will feature William C. Kellibrew IV of the William Kellibrew Foundation, Washington, D.C., and Mississippi Author and Evangelist Voncele Savage of Canton, Miss. Although from different areas of the nation, both Kellibrew and Savage share a common bond: they survived the horrors of being victims of domestic violence and abuse!

Featured on national television, Kellibrew shared the horrific experience of seeing his mother fatally shot in the face and his 12-year-old brother shot in the head by his mother's ex-boyfriend. He was only 10 at the time, living in a poor, crime-ridden area near Washington, D.C.

A survivor of domestic violence, he uses his experiences to talk to teens and others throughout the country about domestic violence and to advocate for the protection of women and children. He is currently a political science student at Howard University, who plans to expand his outreach foundation. See his blog at http://www.kellibrew.blogspot.com/

A St. Louis, Mo. native, Savage is a retired educator who has a deep passion for speaking out against domestic abuse and violence. She suffered 40 plus years of domestic abuse from a husband in the ministry. Through her personal campaign, she now testifies how God has broken her free from such bondage. She uses God’s word and her deliverance -- via writing and speaking -- to let others know that there is a way out. Her latest publication, “Looking thru the Fence: Diamonds in the Rough,” (ISBN: 978-0-9795628-1-5) is a spiritual guide, with highlights of the abuse she and her children suffered. Her other book is “A Letter to My Sisters: The way Out,” (ISBN: 978-0-9795628-0-8). Both will be available at the forum, or one may log on to http://www.savagehouse.net/

“We could not have asked for two better presenters to come and talk with our ARISE participants,” said ARISE Prevention Coordinator Lula Friar. “When we asked Mr. Kellibrew, he did not hesitate to fit us into is schedule. Evangelist Savage came highly recommended.

ARISE is all about prevention. We don’t want our young people to get tangled in a web of domestic violence and abuse.”A program of the Community Students Learning Center (CSLC), a 501 (c) 3 organization, ARISE implements middle school and high school violence prevention programs that - explore relationships, gender roles, coercion and control – help young men and women to have more responsible, healthy relationships in middle school, high school, college and into adulthood. This project is supported under 42 U.S.C. 13971 (OVW- Rural) Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women.

CSLC Executive Director Beulah Greer said she hopes this forum opens the eyes of not only the youth but also adults as well, about how destructive domestic violence and abuse can become. “We want to increase awareness and seriously raise the conscientiousness of people to not let this monster literally destroy the family,” she said. “We hope the ARISE forum encourages other organizations, including churches, to put on seminars, forums and workshops to help educate us all on how to prevent domestic violence and abuse.”

For more information on tonight’s Domestic Violence/Abuse Prevention Forum and for more information on ARISE, contact Friar or Greer at (662) 834-0905.

To contact the featured presenters for future speaking engagements, call the William Kellibrew Foundation at (202) 271.7409 for William C. Kellibrew IV, and for Evangelist Voncele Savage, call “Help Meet,” LLC at (601) 613-0869 or fax (601) 924-0396.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, please get help immediately! Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233); TDD - 1-800-787-3224.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Letter to Fitchburg High School Students in Fitchburg, Massachussettes

Friends...

I spoke at a high school two days ago and it changed my life forever. It was my first time speaking at a high school and I must admit I was very nervous. Speaking on domestic violence and my mother and brother's deaths in particular can be difficult, but I do it because hopefully it will inspire a student whose life either hangs on a life-line to hope or perhaps they need a boost of determination.

October 16, 2009

Dear Fitchburg Juniors and Seniors,

I read all 431 of your index cards. I must admit that while I was in tears, I was also full of joy. I was truly inspired by each card that you gave to me. It showed that you wanted to get rid of so much pain, sorrow, problems, issues, heartache and despair. I am glad that on that special day you decided to make a positive turn in your life. You did not have to write anything down, but you did. Today, I am glad to share your pain, your hopes and your dreams.

I will take these stories with me to Mississippi at the end of this month. As I told you, your stories will help me to prepare for the students in Mississippi who are facing similar problems you are facing. With your help, I will be able to help students help themselves by using their determination and hope to build upon their dreams. Thank you so much.

Some of you are going through the toughest times of your lives. You know that I am certainly with you. I have had those dark days of despair and absolute loss of hope. It is a life-long process and I am still going through the challenges of life. However, there is a huge difference now. I know how to channel my negative energy into positive energy. I surround myself with friends who care and will not lead me down the wrong path. I know that if I just hang on my hopes and dreams will be answered. As I told you, one of you, if not all of you will have your day in the spotlight. Folks will say, “That person went to Fitchburg High School, once counted out, but now they are successful.”

I encourage each one of you to reach out to a teacher, guidance counselor, coach, your principal and assistant principal. Find somebody you trust. They are there to lead you and guide you along the path of success. If you are having difficulty in school it is always best to let someone else know.

Remember, you are the captain of your future. You define who you are. You determine where you will be 5, 10 or 20 years from now. Think about your future and where you would like to be. You can do anything. I believe that “success is living it”. Whatever you want to be in the future, you have to practice that right now.

Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” That means that you have to start with you if there is going to be change. Once that happens, you will see the world change right before your eyes.

I really enjoyed my time with you at Fitchburg and I promise that I will never forget you. You changed my life. I tell everyone about you, the great questions you asked and the amazing stories you gave me.

If you wish to follow my BlogSpot, you may find me at www.kellibrew.blogspot.com. I try to blog weekly. I wish you all success and joy as you travel the road of life.

Sincerely,

William Kellibrew IV

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Peace Prize Awakens a President - A Recommitment to Peace

Friends...

I haven't put the president's speeches on this blog before, but this one is special. President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize today and I am elated that he won. I like his attitude and I think that he is doing everything he can to protect our freedom and at the same time ensure that peace is prevalent across the world. Peace is special to me. It is my passion and hope for the world. Enjoy the president's speech.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release October 9, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON WINNING THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Rose Garden

11:16 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Well, this is not how I expected to wake up this morning. After I received the news, Malia walked in and said, "Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize, and it is Bo's birthday!" And then Sasha added, "Plus, we have a three-day weekend coming up." So it's good to have kids to keep things in perspective.

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

These challenges can't be met by any one leader or any one nation. And that's why my administration has worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek. We cannot tolerate a world in which nuclear weapons spread to more nations and in which the terror of a nuclear holocaust endangers more people. And that's why we've begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons, because all nations have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear power, but all nations have the responsibility to demonstrate their peaceful intentions.

We cannot accept the growing threat posed by climate change, which could forever damage the world that we pass on to our children -- sowing conflict and famine; destroying coastlines and emptying cities. And that's why all nations must now accept their share of responsibility for transforming the way that we use energy.

We can't allow the differences between peoples to define the way that we see one another, and that's why we must pursue a new beginning among people of different faiths and races and religions; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect.

And we must all do our part to resolve those conflicts that have caused so much pain and hardship over so many years, and that effort must include an unwavering commitment that finally realizes that the rights of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in nations of their own.

We can't accept a world in which more people are denied opportunity and dignity that all people yearn for -- the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future.

And even as we strive to seek a world in which conflicts are resolved peacefully and prosperity is widely shared, we have to confront the world as we know it today. I am the Commander-in-Chief of a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies. I'm also aware that we are dealing with the impact of a global economic crisis that has left millions of Americans looking for work. These are concerns that I confront every day on behalf of the American people.

Some of the work confronting us will not be completed during my presidency. Some, like the elimination of nuclear weapons, may not be completed in my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone. This award is not simply about the efforts of my administration -- it's about the courageous efforts of people around the world.

And that's why this award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity -- for the young woman who marches silently in the streets on behalf of her right to be heard even in the face of beatings and bullets; for the leader imprisoned in her own home because she refuses to abandon her commitment to democracy; for the soldier who sacrificed through tour after tour of duty on behalf of someone half a world away; and for all those men and women across the world who sacrifice their safety and their freedom and sometime their lives for the cause of peace.

That has always been the cause of America. That's why the world has always looked to America. And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.

Thank you very much.

END 11:22 A.M. EDT

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Edwards' Resolution Honoring the Lives of Homicide Victims Passes the House

Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards’
Resolution Honoring the Lives of Homicide Victims Passes in the House of Representatives

09/30/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 30, 2009

Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives passed a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), and cosponsored by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), supporting the goals and ideals of a National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims, which was commemorated on September 25, 2009. In recognizing all homicide victims and their families, Rep. Edwards wanted to bring particular attention to the unacceptable number of victims of intimate partner violence.

“We are witnessing an epidemic of homicide in this country and it must be addressed,” said Rep. Edwards. “The goals of this resolution are to honor the lives of all homicide victims, including those who died as a result of intimate partner violence. I thank my colleague and dear friend, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), to make this a bipartisan resolution, and hope that it will raise awareness about how serious and widespread the issues of homicide and domestic violence are in America.”

At least forty-eight Maryland women and children lost their lives as a result of intimate partner homicide in one year from July, 2007 to June, 2008. Nationally, three women per day are murdered by their former or current husbands and partners, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 1976 to 2005, approximately 64.8% of all female homicide victims during that time were murdered by an intimate partner. Intimate partner homicide remains the second leading cause of traumatic death for pregnant women in America.

“Congresswoman Edwards is an unwavering voice for the victims of intimate partner violence,” said Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. “We join her in honoring and remembering so many who lost their lives to a spouse or partner. We commend Congresswomen Edwards for continuing to shed light on the pervasiveness and severity of domestic violence in America.”

Brandon Wallace, CEO and Executive Director of the William Kellibrew Foundation added, “William Kellibrew stood helplessly at the age of 10 as he watched his mother and brother gunned down by her estranged boyfriend before looking down the barrel of the gun himself. Intimate partner homicide cannot continue to rip families apart. We must support the legislation being introduced by Congresswoman Edwards and Congressman Poe to prevent further loss of innocent lives.”

The following organizations endorse the resolution: Legal Momentum, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the William Kellibrew Foundation, and the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV).

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