October 2019
Dear friends,
In the anti-domestic violence community, October is a busy month. Domestic Violence Awareness Month is marked by vigils, rallies, panels, movie screenings and purple ribbons. Lots and lots of purple ribbons. And I have a confession – I’m usually a bit ambivalent about it all. I suppose my ambivalence is borne of impatience: we already know that domestic violence impacts one in four women . We’ve known for decades about the health consequences , the financial toll and the sheer lethality of domestic violence. And now we’re learning more about the link between domestic violence and mass shootings. Given all that we know, shouldn’t we be acting with urgency, not participating in another panel discussion?

I think the answer may depend on how we define awareness. One definition is “knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.” And by that definition, I’d say raising awareness is an insufficient response to an issue of this magnitude. But read further and the second definition is “concern about and well-informed interest in a particular situation or development”.

Simply put, it’s the difference between knowing and caring.

We know that you care about domestic violence, so I hope that you will  join Ascend Justice this month (and beyond) as we raise caring for domestic violence and the people it impacts, whether it’s through volunteering, political action, responding with compassion to a survivor or taking time to heal if you are a survivor. 


Best regards,
Executive Director
Ascend Justice
Trivia Night 2019
Presented by the Ascend Justice Young Professional Board
A few tickets remain to join Ascend Justice’s Young Professionals Board for an evening of small bites, drinks and trivia fun this Thursday.

Individual tickets are $40 a person or register a team of 5 individuals for $160. A trivia ticket includes a happy hour with drinks and small bites from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by trivia, drinks and small bites from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Can’t stay for trivia? Join us for the happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thank you to Katten Muchin Rosenman for sponsoring this great event!

For more information and to register for this event, please visit our website.
Staff News
We are thrilled to welcome Carolina Gallo as our new Client Support Coordinator in our Extended Services Division and Rachel Migliore as a Staff Attorney in our Emergency Services Division!

Carolina is a trained community interpreter and prior to working for Ascend Justice, she worked as an Outreach Coordinator at Casa Michoacan and with the Mexican Consulate's Protection Department to provide constituents information about legal assistance, public benefits, educational programs, and getting birth certificates and emergency visas. 

Rachel is a 2018 DePaul Law grad who previously volunteered at Ascend Justice, both as an SRAP volunteer and as a student in DePaul’s DV Practicum class. During law school, Rachel also interned with DCFS, and spent multiple semesters as an intern and 711 student at the the Juvenile Division of the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office.
Candlelight Vigil
Join Apna Ghar, Ascend Justice and Kan-Win on Tuesday, October 29th at the Jefferson Memorial Park Auditorium as we memorialize those impacted by domestic violence and shine awareness on how we can support survivors, their families, friends and communities.

There will be a music performance and speakers followed by a candle lighting ceremony. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information and to RSVP, please visit the event page .
legal advocacy. transforming lives.