Bringing Light Into the Darkness
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Bringing Light into the Darkness 2017 Report to the Community Dear Friends: In the two decades since The Melissa Institute was founded, our world has transformed dramatically. Today there are 117,000 gun deaths in the U.S. each year. The largest mass shooting in modern America’s history occurred in June, just one day after the murder of singer Christina Grimmie and a few weeks after the Brock Turner rape case began gaining national attention. With the rise of social media, we are bombarded daily with every detail and perspective surrounding these tragic events. At The Melissa Institute, our goal is to provide the latest resources on various forms of violence prevention. From there, we offer research-based information and interventions, formulating next steps to make our world a safer place. We become stronger when we stand together in an unwavering commitment to peace. We must face adversity head-on. To quote Desmond Tutu, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” The history of the world is shaped by those of us who dare make a difference. For 20 years, with the help of our supporters, The Melissa Institute has been funding research-based knowledge and developing training programs and conferences to prevent violence. We have trained health professionals, school counselors, parents and other members of our Miami-Dade community with programs like ACT (Adults and Children Together) Raising Safe Kids. We have hosted annual bullying prevention conferences for fourth and fifth graders throughout Miami-Dade, as well as developed conferences on multidimensional topics of concern, featuring leading experts from our Scientific Board. They have shared their research and experiences with determined dedication to the field. We continue to look for new ways to be a source of strength for the community. Melissa Institute co-founder Susan Keeley, Ph.D., once wrote, “In the months following the tragic murder of Melissa Aptman in 1995, I vividly recall sitting around the Aptmans’ kitchen table, talking with her grief-stricken parents and trying to determine the best way to honor their daughter’s memory. We knew we had two choices: to curse the darkness, or to light a candle.” In the years that have passed, The Melissa Institute continues to be that light. We ask you to join us. We have made great advances, but there is still more work to do. Even a small light cannot be overcome by darkness, but it will take more to conquer that darkness completely. Through the help of our donors, our light grows brighter and brighter each year. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of our former Executive Director, Dr. Frank DeLaurier, and commend him on his 13 years of dedicated service to the organization. Frank leaves behind a legacy of compassion and commitment. We welcome our new Executive Director, Heather Winters, who has the expertise we feel is crucial to the work we do. As someone with experience working with children, adolescents and adults in the mental health field, as well as a strong background in nonprofit management, leadership and development, Heather is sure to provide the Institute with exceptional guidance. Thank you for standing with us in determination to silence the violence, propelling the vision of a brighter future for us all. Sincerely, Lynn Aptman Michael Aptman, M.D. Founder and President Founder Heather Winters l Q&A Interview Q: What led you to violence prevention work? knowing early signs and symptoms and red flags. Once you learn a A: It was not part of my original plan, but in working with certain set of skills, you can’t school-age children, I’ve met many individuals who turn it off. And so when you are experienced some form of trauma, and a job opportunity around others or in the community became available for a full-time therapist position working or working with kids, there is a with survivors of sexual violence. Working with survivors sensitivity to the indicators that of trauma — in particular, interpersonal violence — became someone may have gone through an area of expertise for me as I developed a passion to want Heather D. Winters, a traumatic experience or have a to do more. I wanted to learn more about how to prevent LMHC, M.S.Ed. past in which they’ve been exposed violence and these types of events from occurring. And so I to some form of violence or abuse. began doing prevention work with children, teens and adults, sharing information and education to increase awareness, Q: Do you have any new projects that you’re working on, with the ultimate goal of changing attitudes, values and or plans to expand further into the community? beliefs that perpetuate violence in all different forms. A: The Melissa Institute has a history of doing a lot of Q: How does this connect with the mission of wonderful things in the community, and I would like to see The Melissa Institute? that expand into new neighborhoods and geographic areas within Miami-Dade in which we haven’t had as much of a A: I was initially interested in working with the organization presence. I also plan to grow our Scientific Board so that we because I really believe in the mission, and I know of TMI’s continue to have the best experts and top researchers in the excellent reputation in the community for its far reach in field of violence prevention to help disseminate information educating others about best practices and research-based and provide training for others. information. TMI focuses on the full spectrum of violence, including bullying, harassment, interpersonal violence Q: What makes Miami-Dade uniquely in need of and gun violence. I believe my extensive background and The Melissa Institute’s services? experience in working with survivors of domestic and sexual A: One, we’re a very large county. Miami-Dade is such a violence bring to the table information which can be applied diverse community, and one that’s ever-evolving and changing to the full spectrum of violence and trauma. in the sense of its demographic makeup. Two, we have the Q: What about this work is most rewarding? highest rates of mental illness per capita in all of the United States. And three, we have individuals moving into our A: We can make a difference on many levels. Whether it be community on a frequent basis, who are adapting to a new providing children with information they can use for the rest environment, a new culture… and many of them have of their lives to help them succeed in some way, supporting experienced traumatic events along their journey to come to someone in the aftermath of a tragic event and helping them this area. Because of these dynamics, there is an increased heal, or disseminating information on a large scale, we can need to ensure that children are getting the services they need make an impact on so many different peoples’ work as they to be successful in both their home and school environments. themselves touch so many lives on a day-to-day basis — be Oftentimes, organizations in our community are strapped for it in an office, school or another community organization. resources to serve those in need, and therefore we can help I feel like I’m making a greater reach now because of how assist those organizations by focusing on collaboration, to our work impacts so many lives, within our community and increase our reach and impact in the Miami-Dade community. throughout the nation. For me, that’s a very rewarding thing to know. Q: What can members of the community do to aid The Melissa Institute in its mission? Q: Since you started as a therapist several years ago, how have your views of abuse, bullying and other forms A: There are many ways to contribute and become essentially of violence evolved? involved. One way is to learn about all the resources we offer — whether through our training and workshops or the free A: A lot of my knowledge came from direct experience resources available on our website — and to not only seek working with clients, as well as training that I received from this information for oneself, but go on to share it with others other people who have spent several years in the field. So, it’s who may benefit. It can also be helping to raise funds and definitely broadened my definition of what constitutes abuse; attending the events or activities we host. When you spread it has also shed light on human experience and what it means the word and share our content, you are helping us fulfill our to heal and transform after some of the most horrific things mission with the ultimate goal of making a difference in the you could ever imagine. One develops a perceptive eye, in lives of others and creating safer communities. terms of when something doesn’t look right or feel right, — 1 — Working to Find Solutions l Understanding the Epidemic of Gun Violence Ten years ago, nine-year-old Sherdavia The 1996 Dickey Amendment prevents Task Force, Jay Dickey himself wrote: Jenkins was killed on her doorstep by a the Centers for Disease Control and “It is my position that somehow or stray bullet in Liberty City. In February Prevention from being able to carry out someway we should slowly but me- 2016, a disagreement on Facebook led to the research required to better thodically fund such research until a two groups of teenage rivals firing shots understand how to prevent gun violence.