On September 12th, Sanctuary for Families stood among the national leaders selected to stand behind President Biden on the White House steps as he commemorated the landmark 30th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
President Biden personally thanked Sanctuary and all the leaders present, recognizing their collective heroic efforts to empower “those suffering in silence.”
“You’ve changed the nation. You’ve turned your pain into purpose. And your bravery and your spirit are unbreakable. And because of you — and this is not hyperbole — because of you, we’re a better nation than we were 30 years ago.”
– President Joe Biden
Simone Monasebian, Sanctuary’s Chief Program Officer, was also among the few leaders invited for a private meeting with the President in the White House’s East Room before his speech. President Biden expressed his deep gratitude to all the organizations for their work, reflected on the VAWA’s passage as his greatest legacy, and called on them to continue advancing this important mission. The event culminated with a reception on the White House Lawn.
This commemoration was part of a historic two-day conference organized by the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), one of Sanctuary’s dedicated funders. The conference provided a platform to reflect on the milestones achieved by Sanctuary and other leaders in the fight against gender-based violence while reaffirming the ongoing need to enhance coordinated responses to domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, dating violence, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). Sanctuary’s Lindsey Song, Associate Program Director of our Family Law Project, and Lesley Johannsen, Senior Staff Attorney of Sanctuary’s Pro Bono Project, were also active participants in this impactful conference.
“The Violence Against Women Act is my proudest legislative accomplishment in all the years I’ve served as senator, vice president, and president. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”
– President Joe Biden
Sanctuary CEO Judy Harris Kluger congratulates the DOJ Office of Violence Against Women for convening such a powerful commemoration and expresses deep appreciation for its continued, vital support, which has empowered Sanctuary to provide critical services to survivors throughout New York City.
