 | Message from the Executive Director Dear Friend, This December marks the beginning of the holiday season and the end of a challenging year. While the holidays look different in 2020, we hope that you will find moments of beauty and joy to share with our loved ones, whether in person or from a distance. Under the best circumstances, this time of year can be difficult for survivors, who may face more intense anxiety, depression, or negative emotions than usual. With the additional stressors of this holiday season, we want to remind those who are struggling that you are not alone. Take the time and space –– physically or mentally –– to care for, and be kind to, yourself. From everyone at Resilience, we wish you warmth, healing, and the strength to persevere as we move toward a better, brighter world. With love and gratitude,  Erin | | | | Dinner Table Dialogues - Coming Soon! | |  | We’re so excited to introduce a new initiative with you - Dinner Table Dialogues, founded by Jean Cozier, a major Resilience donor and founder of Awakenings, a non-profit dedicated to making visible the artistic endeavors of survivors of sexual violence. Dinner Table Dialogues will bring together passionate, active donors who are interested in bringing about greater awareness of the impact of sexual abuse on our culture. Contact Amy O'Keeffe for more information. Details coming soon! Click here to learn more about Dinner Table Dialogues from Jean Cozier, Resilience Donor and founder of DDD. | | | | | |  | Thanks to your generosity, Resilience made over $7,000 last week on GivingTuesday. Your incredible outpouring of support could not come at a more critical time for our organization and our survivors, and it is thanks to you that we are able to continue providing our free services to survivors in need. For more information about our annual giving campaign, please click here. It isn’t too late to donate to our annual giving campaign by clicking the button below. | | | | | | Meet Sarah E. King, the Vice President of Resilience’s Associate Board | |  | This year, we’re continuing to celebrate the people who make #OurResilience possible and telling the stories of some of our incredible clients, staff, volunteers, and supporters. It is more important now than ever to embrace and celebrate what connects us: our resilience. This month, we're proudly shining a spotlight on one of the members of our Associate Board. | | | | | | Resilience welcomes new board member, Shonda Nelson! | |  | Shonda leads the Human Resources function at The Sound (a global strategy, exploration and innovation agency). She has enjoyed a diverse and extensive human resources career. Shonda has partnered with and provided advice and counsel to senior leaders, while leading organizational initiatives and supporting both employee and business success. She enjoys being a strategic partner and coaching both individuals and groups. She’s made contributions to a variety of organizations including, IBM, CNA Insurance, commonground marketing, Burson Marsteller and the City of Evanston. In additional to various certifications, Shonda holds an M.S. in Human Resources from Loyola University Chicago and a B.A. in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of Illinois Chicago. Fun fact, she is currently pursuing a masters in Couple and Family Counseling at Northeastern Illinois University. Shonda has been a volunteer leader in the Chicago chapters of several national organizations, including previously, serving on the Executive Board of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources. And we’re proud to say that Shonda is a longstanding friend of Resilience and has already completed our 40-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention training course. After growing up and spending much of her life in Chicago’s Hyde Park/Kenwood neighborhood, she and her son now call Evanston home. | | | | Congratulations to Visionary Award Recipient Retired Detective Ronald Schmuck! | |  | Please join us in honoring Retired Detective Ronald Schmuck for being an agent of change and his trailblazing work to advocate and protect survivors of sexual violence in the Chicagoland area. Ronald Schmuck is a retired detective with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and a current professional trainer for CPD’s Education and Training Division. Since 2005, Schmuck served as a sex crimes detective, helping to build up the sex crimes unit within the Department where he began as the only sex crimes detective. After being recognized by his peers, advocates, and most importantly, by survivors for his diligence and tireless work on behalf of victims of sexual violence, Schmuck was previously asked to provide professional training to law enforcement on how to apply more trauma-informed practices. Resilience honors Schmuck for centering survivors in their pursuit of safety and healing, working collaboratively with advocates and other service providers, and for his genuine care and compassion in his approach to investigating sex crimes. Here's what survivors had to say: | | | | | | | |  | Our Music My Body just wrapped up a month-long push for support of local music venues with two online events, co-hosted by Amplify Her Voice. First, we held a panel on how to create more sustainable, inclusive and safe music venues after COVID which you can view on YouTube here. After that, we hosted an Instagram live with two incredible music writers, Bianca Gracie and Naima Cochrane, to discuss the history of music as social justice movement. Visit the Our Music My Body Instagram (@OurMusicMyBody) to find the video of that conversation. In an effort to keep the online momentum going, OMMB is planning a few more workshops and webinars for the new year. The next will be a workshop on making spaces safe hosted on Zoom – be sure to check our website, follow us on Instagram and Facebook to get updates on those offerings! | | | | | |  | Resilience is looking for new talent to join our ranks in support of survivors of sexual violence. The following positions are currently open: To learn more about careers at Resilience, please click here. | | | | | |  | Sexual Violence and Race, a Historical and Societal Perspective of Race-Based Sexual Violence and its Impacts on Civil Litigation
Thursday, December 17
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Moderator:
Sarah E. King, Attorney at Law, Romanucci and Blandin
Speakers:
Maggie Arthur, Northside Prevention Educator, Resilience
Emma Gonzalez, Prevention Educator, Resilience
Bhavani Raveendran, Senior Associate, Romanucci and Blandin | | | | Healthy Sexuality & Sexual Expression With Disabilities Panel Discussion
Thursday, December 17
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Panel participants include Robin Wilson-Beattie (she/her) who is a Black disabled sex educator and parent; Advocates TJ Gordon and Brittany King; and Searah Deysach from Early to Bed, a feminist, sex-positive sex shop for everyone located in Chicago, Illinois. | | | | | | | | | | Resilience
180 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 600 Chicago, Illinois 60601
312-443-9603 | info@ourresilience.org. | | | | | | | | | |
