Voices of Strength puts domestic abuse survivors in the spotlight with fundraiser
By Ben Cox
For one night, the runway at Sophia’s Event Center will be about much more than fashion.
Survivors of domestic violence will step into the spotlight Friday, Oct. 2, as Voices of Strength hosts its first-ever fundraiser, “Survivors in the Spotlight: A 2nd Chance Fashion Show.”
The event, carrying the theme “From Fear to Fierce,” will feature survivors modeling thrifted and upcycled clothing while raising money for Voices of Strength and the Crisis Center Foundation.
Organizer Alexa Brickey said the idea is centered on helping survivors reclaim confidence while showing the community that they are no longer willing to remain unseen.
“All these women have volunteered to be brave and be a part of this, and show the community that survivors are here,” Brickey said. “They’ve always been here, and we’re ready to be seen, heard, believed, cared about.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. at Sophia’s Event Center, 1852 S. Main St. in South Jacksonville, with the fashion show beginning at 7 p.m.
A $10 suggested donation at the door includes a raffle ticket for prizes donated by several area businesses. The evening also is expected to include food, drinks, music from DJ Bre, photography by ElCrow Photography and Design and a silent auction.
The models will receive hair and makeup services through Luxterra Salon & Spa before taking the runway. Crisis Center volunteers also will be on hand to provide support.
Brickey said the models will appear in several different styles, ranging from casual looks to business or courtroom attire and formal gowns.
The clothing itself carries part of the event’s message.
Voices of Strength maintains a clothing closet from community donations, while additional clothing is available through Sophia’s Event Center and the Matthew 25 thrift shop at Go Church. Brickey said participants also will receive help finding an outfit if they cannot find something that fits their style among the donated clothing.
“When women find their look, their fashion trend that really makes them feel like themselves, you stand tall, you hold your chin up, you walk into rooms differently,” Brickey said. “We’re not letting ourselves be victims anymore. We’re trying to stand tall and create change.”
The fashion show also arrives just as Domestic Violence Awareness Month begins in October, and comes during a period of rapid growth for Voices of Strength.
Brickey said attendance at the group’s regular meetings has ranged from 11 to 22 women, with the gatherings becoming crowded enough that organizers recently had to rearrange the meeting space.
The organization also has begun accompanying survivors to court proceedings. Brickey said she has gone with four women so far, with members attending hearings involving orders of protection, child custody and other matters involving alleged abusers.
“We stand with survivors as they face their abusers in court,” Brickey said.
The organization’s work has spread largely through social media, flyers and word of mouth.
Brickey said women have learned about Voices of Strength through flyers posted in places ranging from bar restrooms to recovery programs. In another instance, a woman who knew Brickey from childhood brought a survivor directly to the group seeking assistance.
Brickey, herself a survivor of domestic violence, said those experiences have made the group’s growth especially meaningful.
“It’s been a very full-circle moment being able to walk back in with those ladies and be on the other side of things because I was once one of these ladies,” Brickey said.
She said Voices of Strength is intended in part to provide continuing peer support after women have moved beyond emergency services.
At a recent meeting, participants were asked how they were building confidence. Brickey said some responded that simply attending the meeting was among the biggest things they had recently done for themselves.
That sense of empowerment is what organizers hope to carry onto the runway Oct. 2.
Survivors participating in the event will not be limited to modeling. Others are helping with food, decorating, seating, raffles and other parts of the event. Community volunteers who are not survivors also have signed up to help.
Proceeds will support Voices of Strength, with a portion being donated to the Crisis Center Foundation.
“That is where a lot of us start out and start our healing journey,” Brickey said of the Crisis Center. “We want to give it back.”
Brickey said Voices of Strength still welcomes additional volunteers and models ahead of the show. Participation in the support group is not required for people who simply want to assist with the fundraiser.
The organization’s next regular support group meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at Go Church.
For Brickey, the success of Voices of Strength is not measured solely in attendance figures or money raised.
“The fact that we’ve even helped one woman is everything to me,” she said. “So we are going to keep doing what we are doing, and we’re going to create change here in Jacksonville.” For more information, reach out to the Voices of Strength Facebook page or email voicesofstrength217@gmail.com.
