Spring Into Action 2021
JDI’s annual Spring Into Action breakfast honored Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark and Lovern Gordon for their leadership, activism, and collaboration to advance the rights of survivors and promote safety and justice for all.
Justice in Action Awardees Congresswoman Katherine Clark (top center), Assistant Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives, and Lovern Gordon (right of Clark), Founder and President of the Love Life Now Foundation, hold up their awards at JDI’s 2021 Spring Into Action breakfast on June 29th on Zoom.
On Tuesday, June 29th, JDI had the pleasure of honoring two local champions in the work to end and prevent gender-based violence, Lovern Gordon, Founder and President of the Love Life Now Foundation, and Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Assistant Speaker of the US House of Representatives, with the 2021 Justice In Action awards. Sponsors and individual donors helped raise over $100,000 to support JDI and get us closer to our goal.
The event’s emcees, Yadires Nova-Salcedo and Lee Pelton, made everyone feel right at home as we once again held the Spring Into Action breakfast virtually. The morning highlight was a conversation Lee and Yadires led with Clark and Gordon. The awardees shared what inspires them in their work and their vision for the future of the movement.
Sad you missed the conversation? Check out the full recording of the breakfast below!
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The awardees take part in conversation with the hosts
Lee Pelton and Toni Troop thank guests for coming
Monika Johnson Hostler pays tribute to JDI
Guests enjoy the event and meet JDI board members
Yadires Nova-Salcedo smiles with her JDI mug
For Congresswoman Katherine Clark, who serves as the Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, her career as a prosecutor led her to the anti-violence movement:
“For me, this work really started when I was a prosecutor out of law school and saw the corrosive effect of our criminal justice system on women and women of color, how women who were survivors were also criminalized in the system. I wanted to be part of not just the end when everything had gone wrong, but be part of prevention and education and putting justice back in our systems.”
While her previous work initially motivated her to pursue justice, Assistant Speaker Clark noted that it is the strength of survivors that inspires her and informs her work on the Hill every day.
During the Q&A portion of the event, Assistant Speaker Clark shares that survivors inspire her in the work she does daily.
Lovern Gordon, the Founder and President of the Love Life Now Foundation, shared a moving anecdote about the work she does with companies to raise awareness about the ways that domestic violence permeates the workplace. In one instance, after delivering a workshop, Lovern noted that around 70% of the organization’s workers approached her tearfully to thank her and disclose their own experiences with domestic violence, many of them for the first time.
“Every day doing this work is a humble day and a grateful day because I am on the other side with a voice that many still don’t have, and sometimes, I’m able to give permission to them [to speak about their experiences.] That, for me, is just out of this world.”
While the event took place on Zoom, guests cheered together to honor the two awardees for their leadership, dedication, and activism to advance the rights of survivors and promote safety and equity for all. The celebration continued when Yadires shared that the benefit exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in order to continue JDI’s work towards gender equity and racial justice.
Deborah Collins-Gousby, chair of the JDI Board of Directors, summarized JDI’s commitment to its work:
“Driven by an analysis of the intersections of oppression, the root causes of sexual and domestic violence, and the need for systemic change, JDI is a beacon of what is possible. making space to reflect on where and how the domestic violence field has and continues to uphold white supremacy culture demands focus, humility, and accountability. On behalf of the JDI Board of Directors, I want everyone to know that the Coalition is always guided by the voices of survivors, and that our commitment to be an anti-racist organization means that we will be diligent about making sure that all voices are included.”
Yadires added that while the event raised $102,675, the final goal is to raise $120,000 by July 30th, which means it is not too late to give!
Thanks to the 2021 Spring Into Action Sponsors:
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