Dear VIP Community,
Throughout July, VIP brought survivors, families, partners, and community members together through activities centered on healing, education, connection, and access to support. These efforts were especially meaningful as we recognized BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to uplift the mental health experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and call attention to the inequities that continue to shape access to care.
Summer often means rest, celebration, and time with others, but for survivors, it does not bring a break from domestic violence, sexual violence, or mental health struggles. Many still face fear, uncertainty, isolation, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, shame, and low self-worth.
For BIPOC survivors, access to healing is shaped not only by trauma but also by systems that have historically marginalized and underinvested in their communities. Racism, economic inequality, language exclusion, cultural stigma, and inadequate access to quality care are structural barriers, not individual failures. Achieving mental health equity requires more than raising awareness; it demands sustained investment, accountable institutions, and policies that guarantee accessible, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care. Mental health care is a fundamental right, and no one’s ability to heal should be determined by their race, language, immigration status, income, or ZIP code.
It is within this broader commitment to mental health equity that VIP’s work takes place. The activities featured in this newsletter show how education, outreach, partnership, and community connection can help challenge inequities and strengthen pathways to care. Every workshop, conversation, and shared resource helps break the silence and reminds survivors that they are not alone.
As we move into August, our recognition of BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month may come to a close, but our responsibility does not. VIP will continue challenging inequities, strengthening access to care, and creating spaces where survivors feel safe, believed, and supported. We invite you to stand with us as we work toward communities where equitable mental health care is accessible, and survivors receive the dignity, compassion, and support they need throughout their healing journeys.
In Solidarity,
Community Engagement Program |
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BIPOC Mental Health Month Campaign |
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This month, we shared an educational social media campaign in recognition of BIPOC Mental Health Month. Throughout the campaign, we explored how healing is a right, not a privilege, how mental health is shaped by our experiences and cultures, and how healing happens in community. SEE THE POSTS HERE. |
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A Day of Beauty, Care, and Connection |
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In collaboration with Don’t Forget About Me and Hairstory Studio, our clients enjoyed a complimentary beauty day with volunteer professional stylists. Clients connected with one another while receiving hair makeovers and relaxing massages in a welcoming and supportive space. We are grateful to all of the volunteers, especially Luis Burgos, founder of Don’t Forget About Me, for making this meaningful day possible for our clients.
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Conversations About Sexuality |
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We hosted a virtual workshop, Conversations that Protect: How to Talk About Sexuality with Your Children, led by our Child & Adolescent Program Clinician, Heliany Marte, LMSW, and Amanda Astorga Pinto, Strategic Designer of Project Cigüeña. Parents and caregivers learned practical, age-appropriate strategies for having open and supportive conversations about sexuality with children and adolescents. Thank you to everyone who joined us. If you missed the workshop, you can WATCH THE RECORDING IN SPANISH HERE.
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Sharing Our Restorative Justice |
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Our Restorative Justice Program team, Kassiel Gonzalez and Hector Correa, attended the NACRJ Conference alongside the attorney, and practitioner Erika Sasson, our Executive Director, Margarita Guzman, and Director of Specialized Programs, Katia Amaya Salinas. They presented VIP’s five-year journey of culture change through the integration of restorative justice practices into a domestic violence agency, highlighting the work, learning, and collaboration that have shaped this ongoing transformation.
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Launching a New Support Group For Survivors |
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Our Sexual Violence Program has launched Fragments of Me: Rebuilding My Story, a new monthly support group for survivors of sexual violence. This four-week series combines art and writing to help participants rebuild confidence, rediscover their voices, and heal in community. We look forward to continuing to provide safe, supportive spaces where survivors can connect, reflect, and collectively heal. |
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Kering Foundation Visits Our |
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We were honored to welcome members of the Kering Foundation team, including Executive Director Céline Bonnaire, Elsa Fontanille, Marie-Claire Daveu, and Ewa Abrams, to one of our Economic Justice Program workshops. During their visit, they met with our entrepreneurs and observed an inspiring workshop led by Karina Novoa, founder of Safe Woman. The session explored how entrepreneurs can incorporate their personal and cultural identity into their branding while authentically leveraging current marketing trends to strengthen their business. We thank the Kering Foundation for taking the time to connect with and invest in the remarkable entrepreneurs in our community.
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Introducing Youth to Restorative Justice Work |
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Kassiel Gonzalez, our Restorative Justice Program (RJP) Manager, gave a presentation to teens participating in NYC Votes/The Campaign Finance Board’s Youth Ambassador Program, which encourages and prepares adolescents to become civic experts and leaders in their communities. Kassiel talked about VIP as a foundational community organization in East Harlem and the services the RJP offers to survivors of violence in migrant communities. The teens eagerly asked questions about domestic violence, healing circles, and how our work impacts the community. We look forward to connecting with NYC Votes again and providing these teens with a firsthand experience of how restorative justice circles support survivors and communities.
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Building Bridges of Support |
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with the Mexican Consulate |
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Our Director of Community Programs, Claudia Guzman, represented VIP at the Ninth External Legal Assistance Week Opening Ceremony at the Mexican Consulate in NYC, highlighting VIP’s programs and services for survivors and the broader community. She shared how her own immigration journey shaped her commitment to inclusion, belonging, and culturally responsive support.
Our Community Educator, Leyda Marcial, also facilitated two online workshops for the Consulate, broadcast on Facebook, on Domestic Violence 101 and Teen Dating Violence. During these sessions, she provided participants with information and resources to better understand these issues and access support.
Click here to watch in Spanish the DV 101 workshop and here for the Teen Dating Violence workshop.
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Our Promotora Esmeralda writes “The Hand That Helped Me Break the Cycle,” sharing her journey from surviving years of domestic violence to finding healing, hope, and community. Through the support of our programs, she rebuilt her life, found compassion when she needed it most, and now helps other survivors connect with the resources and support they deserve. Her story reminds us that asking for help takes courage, healing is possible, and no one should have to face violence alone. READ IN ENGLISH HERE.
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Our newest episode features a survivor of sexual abuse who shares her story after experiencing violence in a space where she expected to find support and safety. In this episode, we reflect on the impact of betrayal, abuse of power, the challenges of seeking help again, and the process of rebuilding and healing. This conversation reminds us that abuse can happen at any age, that everyone deserves to be heard and believed, and that safe spaces and support can make a difference in the journey toward healing. LISTEN IN SPANISH ON SPOTIFY, YOUTUBE, OR APPLE PODCASTS.
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We hosted an Instagram Live conversation with Raisa Rodriguez Torres, LCSW, Director of Community-Based Clinical and Advocacy Services at Day One. During the conversation, we discussed common myths and stigma surrounding mental health, recognizing signs that someone may need support, barriers to accessing care, and the importance of having accessible and culturally responsive mental health resources for our community. We thank Raisa for joining us and helping create more spaces where conversations about mental health can be open, accessible, and free from stigma. REPLAY THE CONVERSATION IN SPANISH HERE.
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We’re excited to be growing our team! If you’re interested in joining us, we warmly invite you to explore our open positions below and consider becoming part of our work. |
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Your support helps survivors access safety, resources, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives on their own terms. Every donation makes an immediate impact by providing critical services and support to survivors and their families. There are several ways to donate and join us in supporting survivors on their journey. |
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Our Contact Information Violence Intervention Program info@vipmujeres.org *{{Organization Address}}* 1-800-664-5880 www.vipmujeres.org |
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