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Eastern to host 5th relationship violence awareness event in honor Alyssiah Wiley

Oct. 9 event features 3 special guests

by Noel Teter

Willimantic, CT (10/03/2024) — Eastern Connecticut State University will host its fifth annual End Relationship Violence awareness event on Oct. 9 from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in honor of Alyssiah Wiley, an Eastern student who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2013. Among other activities, the event will feature three guest speakers: author/nonprofit executive Sarah Gallardo, Senator Jeff Gordon and educator/activist Damion Morgan.

The event will take place in the Student Center and Geissler Gymnasium and is sponsored by the office of equity and diversity, the women's center and sexual assault/interpersonal violence response team led by Professor Brenda Westberry.

A pre-event workshop called "In Her Shoes," hosted by United Services, will take place in Student Center room 219 from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

The event will feature basketball skill challenges for students. Members of the Connecticut Senior Women's Basketball club will engage in a 3-vs.-3 basketball competition, called "A Play for Alyssiah."

There will also be activity and resource tables, more than 30 door prizes, free food and t-shirts. A live DJ will provide music. The event will also include a presentation of this year's Making a Difference in the Community Awards. Awardees include Doug Glode, retired Willimantic deputy police chief, Kristina Parent, a victims advocate now working with DCF Willimantic and Anna Dumais '18.

Special guest bios:

Sarah Gallardo is the founder and the executive director of Sarah Speaks Up, a nonprofit organization that promotes domestic violence awareness, advocates for domestic violence survivors and provides resources to individuals and families in need. A survivor of domestic violence herself, Gallardo's message is not that of a victim, but of a strong woman who has overcome adversity. She is the author of "Hiding in Plain Sight: A Glimpse Into the Reality of Domestic Violence."

Dr. Jeff Gordon was elected to represent the 35th State Senate District in 2022, which includes the towns of Ashford, Chaplin, Coventry, Eastford, Ellington, Hampton, Stafford, Thompson, Tolland, Union, Vernon, Willington, and Woodstock. He is one of only two medical doctors in the Connecticut legislature, where he serves as a member of the Public Health, Public Safety and Security, and Appropriations committees. He is also a ranking member of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

Damion Morgan is an education and youth development professional in Connecticut, and a tireless advocate of domestic violence awareness for more than two decades. He is currently a board member for Interval House, the largest domestic violence support organization in Connecticut, as well as a member of the statewide DELTA Ahead cohort, a group of professionals focused on creating actionable advocacy and prevention strategies to break the cycle of violence.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 14 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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