DEARBORN, MI – The 313 Project will be hosting a free Women’s Empowerment clinic on Saturday, May 19 at the ACCESS Community Health Center in Dearborn from 11am to 3pm. The clinic will address domestic violence particularly within, but not limited to, communities of color.
A hallmark of The 313 Project is connecting the legal community to underserved areas; thus, attorneys from various fields of practice — areas where survivors of domestic violence may run across legal issues in the wake of their situation — will be available to consult with the women during one-on-one consultations. The comprehensive, holistic clinic will also feature self-defense training, yoga, childcare/crafts, massage therapy, cosmetologists, halal lunch, and complimentary health screenings courtesy of Oakwood Hospital.
Speakers at the event will include not only attorneys to inform women of their rights, but domestic violence survivors who can attest to finding strength and happiness and courage. One of those speakers, *Hailey* (not her real name), is a 313 Project volunteer and the inspiration for the organization’s empowerment efforts.
Putting together the May 19th event has been a process that has personally resonated with The 313 Project. Project members drew from encounters with domestic violence experienced by relatives, friends, and even themselves, to ensure that the clinic not only informs women, but empowers them.
One member, Hailey, struggled with an abusive marriage throughout the majority of law school. In her “day job” as a law student, she was a strong, articulate, and passionate advocate for the rights of others; after hours, she was still all of those things, yet she faced abuse that threatened her spirit and her life – literally. Today, Hailey is a law school graduate, excited about the future, and fully supporting herself and her children. She left the abuse and abuser behind, and her ex is largely out of her life. She will be speaking at the clinic to invoke hope within the women — many of whom will be going through similar crises.
The 313 Project’s May 19 clinic is the first of a series of women’s empowerment events that the organization plans to host in and around Detroit. This particular event is open to women and children only. The ACCESS Community Health Center is located at 6450 Maple Street, Dearborn, MI 48126. For questions on the event, please email The 313 Project at [email protected].
Related Stories, Links and Resources
- House Passes Violence Against Women Act renewal – CNN Politics
- Violence Against Women Act Loses Some Safeguards in House Vote – L.A. Times – “The Violence Against Women Act offers anonymity to victims of domestic abuse who are applying for residency visas so that their applications cannot be sabotaged by their alleged abusers.”
- Domestic Violence Shelters and Information – U of M Dearborn – Women’s Resource Center
- Caged in America – One Woman’s Journey Through the Veil – by Jasmine Sharif
- The Arab Americans – ACCESS cited on page 67 – book by Randa A. Kayyali
- Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures: Family, law, and politics – edited by Suad Joseph, Afsaneh Najmabadi