Honoring those who have lost their lives, and offering support to survivors.
On the night of October 28, chants of “No more silence, no more violence!, “Ni una Menos! Ni Una MAS!” could be heard moving from South 4th Street and Broadway toward Union Avenue. At the same time the same chants could be heard moving from Johnson Avenue between Graham and Manhattan avenues, also headed toward Union Avenue.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For over twenty years, area community organizations raise their voices as they march to raise awareness on one night. Two simultaneous marches converge at NYPD 90th Precinct for a vigil that supports and honors those affected by domestic violence.
“I have been with St. Nicks [Alliance] for over 29 years. I’m here today because we lost some people that used to work with St. Nicks Alliance,” said Janice McKnight who works in property operations at the organization. McKnight held up a photo of Emma Feliciano holding her infant granddaughter. Feliciano was a community advocate until her life was cut short by her husband in 2000. “[Feliciano] never got a chance to see her granddaughter grow,” she said.
The lobby of 140 Johnson Avenue serves as a meeting point for the eastern leg of the march. St. Nicks Alliance named this building for Feliciano. Before going to the precinct, Miguelina Duran, a Brooklyn Community Board 1 member, recalled, “Emma was doing her work, she was trying to get out of that situation but sometimes victims trying to get out is the most dangerous time. She was a supporter for all the women in the community, but while she was trying to get out, she lost her life.”
Nancy DesGrottes, who was McKnight’s direct supervisor in St. Nicks Alliance property management, met a similar fate three years prior to Feliciano’s death. Shortly after she had the strength to leave her relationship she was shot by her husband when she went to collect her things at his invitation. St. Nicks Alliance named 106 Gerry Street after her to keep her memory alive in the community.
This vigil provides several who have been affected by domestic violence the opportunity to be heard.
Leana Pardo, the executive director of North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence (NBCAFV), served as emcee of the event and also shared her own experience of survival. She left her abusive situation with son, who attended the vigil for the first time. “Domestic violence is not a private matter, it is a community issue, it is a public health issue, and it affects all of us. Domestic violence doesn’t just impact survivors, it touches our children, our parents, our friends, our families, and even our pets. It rips through every part of our community,” she said.
Me’ Khai transcribed her experience into poetry. “You see I grew up in a culture where settling is better than marrying late/ Where mental agony is better than being alone/ As people would rather a house built with a broken heart/ than a home,” she quoted her poem, “Sleeping with Death”.
Sal shared his struggle to process the death of his 29-year-old daughter Stephanie. Stephanie’s photo was displayed behind the podium throughout the vigil. “She’s here with us,” said Sal. “And anyone that has someone lost, they’re here with us today.”
The last survivor to speak was Enjole, who volunteers at Woodhull Hospital and sits with survivors of sexual assault as they complete a rape kit. She pushed back at the notion that abuse can be simply avoided (the idea “That could never be me”), and emphasized how abuse can happen across backgrounds and life experiences.
NYS State Senator Julia Salazar spoke at the vigil and highlighted policy initiatives like the NYS Address Confidentiality program. She also praised NBCAFV, who has taken on the role of leading the event in the past several years. “It’s very powerful to do the vigil and the march, to call attention to this issue, and also to break stigma for anybody who may hear us right now.”
NYS Assembly Member Maritza Davila shared her experiences with domestic violence, in addition to the variety of abuses and incidents that are reported to her office, and her activism for domestic violence prevention which led to the creation of NBCAFV.
NBCAFV was launched in 1996 by Evelyn Cordona with the support of six community organizations: Southside United HFDC — Los Sures, St. Nicks Alliance, El Regreso, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A (who changed their name to Build Up Justice NYC in July), Nuestros Niños, and Ridgewood Bushwick. This coalition established one of the only organizations serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in North Brooklyn.
Cordona recalled accompanying Davila to the NYPD 83rd Precinct to secure an order of protection. They were told, “No, we only serve orders of protection on Mondays and Wednesdays.” Cordona and Davila worked together to change the policies at the 83rd and 90th precincts to better support those who report domestic violence.
Captain Vincent Seminerio was appointed commanding officer of the 90th Precinct this September. Earlier in his career, Seminerio worked as a domestic violence prevention officer. “I give you a promise: you have a precinct commander who puts domestic violence equal to any other type of violence.”
If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation, you can reach out to the North Brooklyn Coalition at: 718-302-4073, help@northbrooklyncoalition.org, or visit: www.northbrooklyncoalition.org
The Greenline 