Last Day in Knoxville

Hey y'all,
Today is definitely bittersweet. I've had the most amazing time on this trip, and just can't stand knowing that this week is coming to an end. We really did finish it strong though by spending the afternoon at the Smoky Mountains. We hiked to Abrams Falls. The view the entire way was beyond beautiful. The best part though was spending our last day with each other just having fun. Sitting at the top of the falls was a great reminder of just how precious every day is in this great big beautiful world.

At the beginning of the trip when we all piled into the van for out seven hour car ride (aka bonding session and dance party) I was so nervous about how the week would go. I can now confidently answer the Sam's question though; yes we are going to be friends. I cannot imagine a better group of people to have shared this experience with. 

This trip was easily the most impactful experience of my two years at Maryland. Immersing myself in everything Knoxville had to offer has been great. There are so many systems here in place to tackle domestic violence that I would love to see in Maryland. Working at the YWCA and Phyllis Wheatley Center especially opened my eyes to how important it is to act locally. The trip has also been so personally empowering. Tonight we all wrote down ways that we can continue making a difference and becoming educated when we return to College Park. Some of us want to be peer educators, some want to find a local YWCA, and some of us want to be more involved in the legal system. No matter which path we take, what we learned this week will definitely stick with us. 

As we continue our journeys through college, I know this trip will always hold a special place in my heart. It very much challenged my ideas about the legal system, how our government looks at women, fairness, justice, and judgement. It has also given me invaluable friendships. At school it is so easy to get caught up in meetings and homework, and stop learning. Going back though, I feel inspired to really live out each day and learn. We are capable of making a change and finding happiness only if we live every moment to its fullest potential.

Thank you Club Knox for everything you have taught me. The warm and fuzzies are never ending <3

Hello!

My name is Mariela Cruz and I am a Senior Criminology and Criminal Justice Major graduating this May! I have no idea where life will lead me next but I do hope to be able to make a positive difference in people's lives. In the broad field of criminal justice I am very interested in domestic violence which is what led me to come on this trip.

Coming to Knoxville has been a great, rewarding experience from learning more about domestic violence, to helping other organizations like the YWCA to hiking at Ijams. Two specific activities that have been especially rewarding to me have been volunteering at the YWCA center and attending an all-Spanish session for Latina women who have experienced domestic violence.

Quilt with positive messages decorated a hall at the YWCA

On Tuesday, we went to Downtown Knoxville to help around YWCA. We did different tasks such as painting, cleaning, organizing, putting together care packages of toiletries for the female residents and attaching purple ribbons to their cards (purple is the color that represents domestic violence). Although, we were not directly working with survivors, it was a truly rewarding experience to know that we were helping those who directly help these women.

We also walked around asking businesses to post up flyers with YWCA's number and contact info. We were told to tape them in women's restrooms because many might not feel comfortable ripping off a number openly and publicly.
















On Wednesday evening, Jen, Alex, and I had the opportunity to attend the all-Spanish support group for Latina women at the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center. This experience was especially impactful to me as a Latina, and coming from an extremely large Latino population that is the Washington D.C. Metro Area. I do not know if we have something like this is DC, or MD, at least not in Montgomery County and I feel like it would be so beneficial and necessary to have a safe, comfortable environment for not only Latinas but for all minority women as well. They started with an ice-breaker as well as letting out anything that happened for them in the past week. The women discussed personal issues that involved their children as well as work. Then we began the topic of the week. Each week, they work and discuss a different topic. This week's topic focused on boundaries that are necessary to have for all types of relationships (partner, children, coworkers, friends, parents) and about what each person has as personal rights. The facilitator Maria stressed the importance of everyone being able to recognize our rights and but limits to those who try to violate them. Most women seemed to feel that their children needed the less amount of limits. I was able to speak my mind as to why I felt limits are definitely necessary for children coming from a daughter's perspective with my mom. While some agreed with me, some felt that they should not put limits on their children because of the few time they spend with them. One woman also felt that she needed several limits on her parents because she felt that if she didn't, they would impose too much in her life (in a negative way). Overall, it was great to see these women feel comfortable with us and allow us to learn more about them and their individual situations. It was a great session, and I hope to see something like this in my own community soon.

My Rights

1. I have the right to say NO!

2. I have the right to not be abused.

3. I have the right to express my anger.

4. I have the right to change my life.

5. I have the right to be free of abuse.

6. I have the right to ask for help from police and social services.

7. I have the right to want to be a good example of communication for my children.

8. I have the right to privacy.

9. I have the right to raise my children safely.

10. I have the right to be treated like an adult and with respect.

11. I have the right to a leave an abusive environment.

12. I have the right to live safely.

13. I have the right to express my talents.

14. I have the right to be protected by law from my abuser.

15. I have the right to earn and manage my own finances.

16. I have the right to make my own decisions about my life.

17. I have the right to change my mind.

18. I have the right for others to have faith in me and be valued.

19. I have the right to make mistakes.

20. I have the right to love and be loved.

21. I have the right to put myself first.

22. I have the right to be ME.

Club Knox Day 5

Hey all, it’s Lexi again blogging about club knox! It was especially difficult to wake up this morning after staying up past 1am reflecting and discussing each other’s celebrity-look-a-likes (shout out to Jake aka Shamwow guy).

We started the day by traveling to the Salvation Army woman’s shelter and we were pleasantly surprised to receive a very generous breakfast spread with fruit, croissants, pastries, and COFFEE. We then got to hear from Ms. Natasha about how the shelter works and how women who have suffered from domestic violence often get a higher priority for getting into this shelter. We got a tour of the facility, and I was really surprised by how nice it was and learned about how they help these women move into more permanent housing. I also really liked the fact that the women who stayed there were also able to bring their children. One of the most eye opening parts of this experience was when two women who were staying in the shelter told us their story. They did not appear to be women that one would expect to find in a homeless shelter, but they had both left their abusive partners to escape domestic violence. They also wanted desperately to have their own home and start fresh in a safe environment. After touring both the women and men’s shelters, we got the chance to lie outside and bask in the sun. Seriously, it was glorious. We all got to take a little nap while lying in the grass, and then we woke up to have lunch (our fav…PB&Js).

Next, we returned to the Phyllis Wheatley Center to paint the mural they were displaying, and we got to play with tons of kids! Many children from the local church also came to the center today. We had our hands full playing basketball, playing on scooters, jump roping, hula hooping and more! I especially loved getting the talk to the kids while watching Despicable Me 2 (I LOVE MINIONS).

Afterwards we spent the day walking around Market Square in Knoxville. We got some awesome sales at Urban Outfitters and also got Rita’s! It was so nice to just be outdoors and walk around the city. Then we enjoyed some relaxing time before dinner and feasted on our last “sustainable” dinner of the trip. Later we did reflection, and again it was an great time to come together, and I truly feel so lucky to have experienced this trip with everyone. Next stop, the Smokey Mountains! 

Visiting The Salvation Army Shelter

Visiting the shelter today was a really interesting experience. I saw all different types of people from all backgrounds struggling to get their lives together and making the best out of a situation for themselves and their children. It was really sad to see some of the situations people are really in. I really got a grasp of the life in Tennessee for these people and it saddens me to see them this way. I wish I got the chance to ask more questions about the shelter but I unfortunately couldn't bring myself to bring it up in conversation.

The trip so far has been such a great learning experience overall and I really am glad to have met such amazing people. Everyone is so friendly, funny, and great to be around and I'm really happy we're all such great friends. This is one of the best things about trips like these. Meeting new people and sharing these experiences with them is great!

Day 4 of the Knoxville Adventure

I apologize for this being a little late, I was tasked with blogging about Wednesday but I've been too exhausted every night to right my post. So here it is! My name is Jen Mallinoff and I am a sophomore at UMD. I am studying Environmental Science and Policy and Spanish Linguistics and Culture. My academic studies do not relate to Domestic Violence however I have a personal interest in recognizing and addressing the issue.

Wednesday was our fourth day here, our third day of service. We had an exciting start with a self defense class at the University of TN in downtown Knoxville. Although we had some trouble navigating our way around the huge campus, we eventually found the University Center where we were taking the class. Two campus police officers led the class and taught basic self defense to the girls in our group. We learned how to escape choke holds, being held by your wrists, and being pinned to the ground. We were easily able to escape each others' grasps but I was skeptical about escaping a strong man's grip. But to my surprise, the male cop teaching the class grabbed my wrists and I was even able to release myself from him.

After the class, we drove to the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center. The center holds after-school programs for middle school students that live in the community. We helped with various spring cleaning tasks while we were there. I helped clean out their trailer to prepare it for use as a classroom. Other students spent time with several students that were there or helped clean and organize other classrooms.

After volunteering, we went back to the church where we are sleeping and had a giant breakfast for dinner with the congregation. We had eggs, bacon, hash browns, biscuits, and gravy. Everything was delicious and the people in the community were extremely welcoming and friendly. Southern hospitality truly does exist.

As the final event of the night, I was extremely fortunate to go back to the Phyllis Wheatley Center to attend a group session for Latina women that are victims of domestic abuse. I participated in the session with two other members of our group, Mariela and Alex. The theme of the session involved personal limits and boundaries in relationships that we each have in our lives. While the women began by discussing their weeks and various issues with their significant others, the topic quickly developed into a discussion of other relationships that we have, with our parents, coworkers, and friends for example. The women discussed what types of limits they have in each of these types of relationships. Maria, the leader of the session, explained that while it is important to have varying degrees of boundaries with people in our lives, we must remember to put ourselves and our well-being above everything else. In addition, Maria encouraged the women to become empowered in other ways, such as learning English and driving, in order to feel self-worth and strong. The final message of the session was lead a healthy lifestyle by having boundaries in some form with everyone in your life so that you have the ability to still be an individual with your own goals. I felt extremely empowered by the session and was proud of myself for understanding everything that was spoken since it was in Spanish!

So that was another long and exciting day for our trip! Only one more left.

UMD Welcomes UT

Hello everyone. My name is David Lee, and I'm a sophomore, majoring in biological studies. I am currently taking a class on Asian American literature, which I LOVE, and am figuring out what I want to actually do with my life.

So today, we did a lot of things. We went to the Blount County jail to sit in on some hearings on domestic violence and hiked around the Ijams. It was all very interesting and a lot of fun, but we capped off the day welcoming the alternative spring break students from the University of Tennessee. I wore my UT shirt and let my Vol spirit fly.

Everyone from the UT was so friendly. Southern hospitality is a real thing. Conversation was never awkward and everyone was extremely nice. We talked about everything that groups of college students talk about when meeting for the first time. What your major? What do you do in school? What's there to do in town? One little tidbit I'd like to share is football. Everything you've heard about Tennessee football is probably an understatement. Tailgates start at 10 am. 150,000 people crammed into the campus. When touchdowns are scored, EVERYONE knows. When Saturday rolls around, Neyland Stadium is the fifth biggest city in Tennessee. I was sitting there amazed at them rolling these statistics at me.

While I don't know if I could ever go to a huge football school like the UT, some of the things I heard tonight make it sound really appealing.

The Adventure Continues!!!

Hello!

My name is Shabnam Ahmed and I am a Freshman at the University of Maryland working towards creating my own major through the Individual Studies program, I would call it Global Health & Development.

It's really amazing how in the course of a week a group of individuals who knew nothing about each other can develop such strong connections, friendships, and experiences. We all felt a sense of community and responsibility in understanding Domestic Violence and it definitely showed- from our immense engagement in daily activities to our in-depth reflection sections.

Today in particular we visited the Blunt County Court House, witnessed some hearings and experienced a Judge distribute many Orders of Protection for such cases. My most memorable experience of the day however was touring the jail, seeing the prisoners and understanding the police officer's reactions and attitudes towards these prisoners. It was an eye-opening experience for many of us and made me reconsider a lot of my preconceived notions about crime, law, and justice. It is difficult to explain in one blog post the effect that this experience has had on me,and how it has opened my eyes, heart, and mind to domestic issues. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience this kind of reality and be able to grow as an individual as a result.

#clubknox

Hello friends! I'm Sam Enokian and I'm a freshman russian major hoping to double in government and politics. In my free time I like to sing, hike, bike and swim. I am also very passionate about issues concerning domestic violence and human trafficking, hence why I decided to do ABKnox. #clubknox

Yesterday we helped out at the YWCA center for kids (aka the Phillis Wheatley Center) and we cleaned out their trailer. This center works a lot with children who grew up in homes where domestic violence was present. They promote gender and race equality through their work with kids. After we finished cleaning, we  had a candy car race with the kids, where we built our own cars and raced. Jake was the winner however there was some discrepancy as to whether or not he may have cheated... After we finished working we did hip hop with the kids, although really it was mostly us. Some people lasted the whole time but some just couldn't handle the funk.... 

Last night we celebrated Pete's birthday with a dance party a midnight. We turned our completely respectable church into a raging dance club for an hour... not really. We also got really good at our selfie game, as you can see here.... 

Today we spent some time at the Blount County Court and Jail, touring the facilities and listening in on some court cases. It was very interesting to see the legal side, but it was also very unnerving to see the prisoners in the jail and to see how they lived. After this emotionally draining day we decided to relieve some stress at IJAM's nature center. There we hiked multiple trains and even met some friendly animals. We were reunited with our favorite animal, the turtle, and were reminded of home... go terps! While our hike wasn't directly related to domestic violence it gave us a great opportunity to reflect on our trip with each other. We spent our time hiking talking about our experience at the jail and at all of the other places we have visited this trip. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to attend this AB trip, and I am so thankful for my time here. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow will bring :)

Domestic Abuse from A Different Perspective

Hi guys! My name is Peter Garber and I'm a sophomore at the University of Maryland studying finance and criminal justice. I really like movies, sports, hanging out with friends, and screenwriting. Back at home in New Jersey, I ride as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician and I'm hoping to one day work for law enforcement.

       Last night, me, Amber, and Tommy went to sit in on a counseling session for men who were court ordered for therapy related to domestic abuse. This event was one of the most eye-opening and interesting experiences. The men really shared their story and what was truly bothering them in each individual situation. I did end up sympathizing with their story because they were speaking from their heart and the situation that they are in is a very difficult one. In some cases, children are being leveraged to either make these men come back to their spouses or give them some type of compensation. What was so eye-opening was that it was such a raw experience hearing their honest emotions about how they felt and were being treated.
       What I had to remember was that these men still had their life outside their battle with domestic abuse and their personal situation. These men went to work, went on trips, and still had daily life to deal with. It was a very emotional experience to go and listen to these men talk. I really appreciated them letting us sit in on their counseling session. The therapists who were leading the conversation dissected every word coming out of the mens' mouths. They wanted to make sure that they weren't saying anything offensive or misleading based on their actual opinion. This was definitely one of the most defining parts of the trip and I'll never forget it.

Another Beautiful Day!

      As Fat Albert would say, "Hey! Hey! Hey!" Thank you so very much fo' visitin' mah page! My name is Megan Najafali and I am currently a sophomore at the University of Maryland. UMD is located in one of ze greatest states of all (*drum roll* MARYLAND - Tennessee is also a fab state). I am a Neurobiology and Physiology major and a Global Poverty minor. This is my first AB trip and I am grateful for having been given the opportunity to immerse myself in community service and learning during spring vacation.

#Nature #BEAUTY #KNOXVILLEBAYBEE

      On our second day in Knoxville, TN, we visited the YWCA. The YWCA is one of the largest women's organizations in the nation, dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting justice. As a team, we conquered various volunteer tasks within the YWCA building, including painting the baseboards, organizing donated clothes, attaching purple ribbons to domestic violence awareness cards, and preparing product kits (containing toiletries and feminine products). The staff at the YWCA was very welcoming and informative. Before we began our tasks, we were given a tour of the building and an introduction to YWCA's mission, which is to provide women with the tools necessary to stand tall against hardships.
      After our time at the YWCA, we distributed flyers with contact information that people can utilize for their benefit. Distributing flyers was the most memorable part of my day - fo' sho' mah man, fo' sho'. We were able to post flyers in a psychology clinic, in a hair salon, and in a library (to name a few places).
      Not to mention - the weather was beautiful! The sun was shining and everyone's soul was glowing.
     Oh! Oh! Oh! At the end of the day, we came together as a team and reflected on our experience at the YWCA. #ReflectionTimeRULEZ

Above you have a marvelous picture of Lexi and Mariela holding
the domestic violence awareness cards.

AB Whoooo!

Hey! My name is Jake and I'm a sophomore Math major from Bowie, Maryland. I love playing basketball, going on outdoor adventures, meeting new people and AB experiences.

I feel very blessed right now. I find myself surrounded by great people and great opportunities. The Concord United Methodist Church has been wonderful. They have provided more than we could ask for and everyone that works here has been kind and welcoming. The Family Justice Center was incredibly enlightening. However, my favorite part of this whole experience has been our group. I think the unique perspective and energy that each person brings to the table makes this trip all the more enriching.

This group has reminded me just exactly why I love AB.

#ClubKnox

Club Knox Take 1

Hey World, my name is Lily and I'm a sophomore psychology major with a minor in LGBT studies. I am dedicated to mental health and am a passionate feminist.

So today was our first real day in Knoxville, TN. (Yesterday we drove the 7 hour trek from UMCP campus, which went by surprisingly quickly; those seven hours were actually a great bonding opportunity--aka singing off key)

After a night on tile floors,  and a morning of coffee, we began our AB trip at the Family Justice Center. At the center we focused on looking at domestic violence from the victim, or survivor's perspective with an activity called "In Her Shoes". The activity, while insightful, was frustrating! For many victims, there are few places they can turn for support, and this activity encapsulated how difficult it can be to get out of an abusive relationship. We then were fortunate to hear from an officer, Dr. Kits, heard from the director of the FJC and were given a tour of the facility. This Center is an amazing resource and should expand to every state!

In other news, Sam, Peter, and I made dinner ( grilled cheese, and tomato soup--wadduuup) and I got an air mattress :)
Here's to better sleep, inside jokes, and passionate persons!

AB Has Begun!

Hey everyone! My name is Lexi and I am a sophomore psychology major with a minor in human development. After waking up (and drinking a large cup of coffee) I was ready to head over to the Family Justice Center and really start this AB experience.

We started our day at the FJC with a simulation activity, called "In Her Shoes" where we all had to take on the role of a victim of domestic abuse, and make decisions about how to handle our situation. We quickly realized how frustrating it was to be a victim, as many resources we expected to be helpful surprisingly became more problematic. These scenarios we were reading were all true stories, and this simulation quickly helped us understand the true adversity that these victims of domestic abuse faced. We also spent time after the simulation really discussing some problems we encountered throughout the simulation and other frustrations we had. After, we then traveled into the heart of Knoxville for lunch (despite the rain) and got Subway, woo!

After a little lunch break we returned to the Family Justice Center for a presentation given by Officer Kitts about domestic violence. He was really engaging and very informative, sharing some unknown and important information about domestic violence. Overall, today there was a serious emphasis on learning more about domestic violence to help reinforce the meaning behind our service this week. Afterwards, the director of the FJC shared her passion for working for such a great organization, and shared her personal story as well. It was really meaningful to hear about how domestic violence impacted her life, and learn how it empowered her to create so much change. We finished our day at the FJC by getting a tour of the facility, and learning more about the different departments that were interconnected, and how it is a great place for survivors of domestic violence to go and use as a resource.

Before returning back to the church we stopped at the local Walmart (we love Walmart) to get some food and get air mattresses for some of those who were not a fan of sleeping on the floor...they will now be very happy tonight. We came back to the church afterwards and some people started to make dinner, while I got to take a much needed nap. I woke up to grilled cheese and tomato soup, which was perfect for this rainy day. After dinner we also got to do Zumba at the church. It was only my second time doing Zumba, and definitely not my last. I could not help but smile and laugh almost the entire time.

We finished the night by reflecting on our day as a group and discussing some things we liked best about the day, and things we found particularly interesting. We also had an educational portion, where we watched a Ted Talk about domestic violence. After today, it has become evident that domestic violence affects so many people, and it is essential we help spread awareness to help prevent it. Now it is officially time for sleep (so I can wake up at 7:30am tomorrow), but I am really excited to dive into the rest of this week of service!

Knoxville Day One

Hey y'all, I'm Alex; I'm a sophomore communications major. Today we spent most of our time at the Family Justice Center. They essentially house different organizations (Knoxville PD, YWCA, etc.) so that individuals seeking assistance and information can get everything in one location. While we were there we did a few activities to better understand the complexities of domestic violence.

The first activity we did was called "In Her Shoes." We went through scenarios inspired by real women and had to make decisions as if we were them. It was so eye opening to really think about the situation as if you were dealing with the same emotions and restrictions. It also really gave us insight about the barriers that exist between different organizations designed to help. It was really frustrating to go through the scenarios and deal with the disconnect. Many times we assume that it would be so simple to make the "right" choice, but even if people do, those decisions do not always work out the way they  should. Talking about the statistics also proved to be unsettling. While we talk about domestic violence, it's crazy to think about the number of families that are really being effected by the problem.

The trip did end on a more hopeful note though. The director at the center shared that she had more personal experiences of abuse with us. Hearing how she had recovered and become so empowered really did make it feel like change is possible. I'm sure her road to recovery wasn't easy, but helping to prevent and assist in families still has to be so rewarding. Everyone at the center was so passionate about making this change in our culture, and the fact that us, a group of young college students, also care so much makes me think that we really do have the power to make positive change.

First Day in Knoxville

Hey everyone! My name is Alexa and I'm a freshman student from New York. I'm a history major and my favorite things are anthropology, my dogs, traveling, and eating. Today was our first day in Knoxville, Tennessee after traveling for seven hours yesterday. Even though the ride was long, it definitely gave us time to bond, and everyone was very comfortable with each other today when we went to the Family Justice Center in downtown Knoxville. After being introduced to the leaders of the center, we participated in the In Her Shoes activity, where we picked a character card and read the experiences of women who were victims of domestic assault. As my partner Jen and I traveled around the room stopping at tables and learning more about our characters, we were shocked and frustrated with some of the decisions that the women made - they were rejected from shelters and neglected by child protective services in some situations, and an tragic situation one victim even died at the hands of her abuser. It was both frustrating and heartbreaking to see the women sent to jail because of injustice or go back to their abusers because they thought things would change; they usually never did, and they were physically or sexually abused by their loved one. Although it was frustrating to see this happen and have no control over it, it allowed us to realize the reality of the situation. Along with that and talking to the director Amy, who spoke about the mindset of victims and survivors, we were truly able to prepare ourselves for the rest of the week by understanding the thoughts and feelings of victims of domestic violence.