October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), one in three women and one in four men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. La Casa de Las Madres, a local empowerment program for survivors, reports that

Anger. Fear. Disbelief. Those are emotions I feel while gauging the current political climate. We live in a world where Hillary Clinton, a woman who has made mistakes and flip-flopped on critical social issues, may lose to a man who horrendously disrespects women, people of color, Muslims and the LGBTQ community. While I agree that

Thirteen women. Different backgrounds. Different outlooks. Different lifestyles. But all in the same room, writing. Writing to tell a story. Through symbolism, art and passion came poems.

By: Lillian Mark, GLIDE program team member since 2004 This year I celebrate 10 years on GLIDE staff not including the 3 semesters I spent here as an intern prior. During my tenure at GLIDE the people in my life and the people I meet have had many questions: Did you always know you wanted

Amnoni Myers, a social work student at Gordon College in Boston, MA, recently completed her Social Work Practicum at GLIDE’s Walk-In Center and Women’s Center through the Westmont Urban Studies Program. “Before I even interviewed I came to a Sunday Celebration and just fell in love – I love the environment, I love what GLIDE

by Talilah Douglas, GLIDE Women’s Center, Domestic Violence Specialist Get to know Talilah Douglas, GLIDE Women’s Center Domestic Violence Specialist. The Women’s Center is a domestic violence program with a unique approach to transforming lives providing holistic healing, addressing emotions, mind, body, spirit and relationships. Program services are designed to help women who face intimate

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager Last November, GLIDE’s Women’s Center honored International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).  TDOR began in 1998 to honor Rita Hester, a member of the transgender community whose murder remains unsolved – like most victims of anti-transgender violence.  Once a year, GLIDE’s Women’s Center honors the transgender men

“My hope for GLIDE as a whole is to up our game and step into our full potential as non-violent social justice advocates for all – starting at home first.” – Zwazzi Sowo Throughout the rest of January, GLIDE staff will share their hopes and intentions for the coming year on our blog. Today’s submission

from yesterday’s vigil announcement: GLIDE is partnering with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium (DVC) to host a candlelight vigil in honor of Starr Lamare, the 25-year-old mother of three who family members say was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dexter Oliver, this past Sunday in the city’s Bayview neighborhood. This senseless attack reminds

GLIDE is partnering with the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium (DVC) to host a candlelight vigil in honor of Starr Lamare, the 25-year-old mother of three who family members say was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dexter Oliver, this past Sunday in the city’s Bayview neighborhood. This senseless attack reminds San Franciscans that much

On behalf of the entire GLIDE family, Happy New Year! Start the year off right and sing along with the Women’s Center’s Healing Through Negro Spirituals Group. Check out this video of a recent session: Every week, the Women’s Center offers their Healing Through Negro Spirituals Support Group. The group relates the history and experiences

GLIDE’s Women’s Center held their annual Holiday Celebration today, filling Freedom Hall with women coming together as a community to enjoy a festive meal and gift exchange with one another. Pastor Karen Oliveto addressed the group, encouraging them to open their hearts, “When you open yourself to saying yes to the possibilities, that’s when your

In 2010, GLIDE’s Family Youth and Childcare Center (FYCC) began a partnership with the California Institute of Integral Studies‘ (CIIS) Expressive Arts Therapy department. CIIS students and alumni began working with FYCC staff, youth, and families by facilitating arts-based retreats, running expressive arts groups for children in grades three through five, counseling teens, and leading

GLIDE’s Women’s Center celebrated their 5th anniversary today with a beautiful tea party. Freedom Hall was transformed into a gorgeous space to honor the participants and supporters of the program. Women’s Center Program Manager, Zwazzi Sowo said, “The beauty and transformation that you see in this room is the beauty and transformation that happens in

by Katharina Neusiedler, 2011 Women’s Center Volunteer I was drawn to GLIDE , probably like many people, by the soulful music. I used to sing in a choir years ago back home in Austria and was in search for a musical home in San Francisco. As I sat at Celebration, Sunday after Sunday, trying to

By Talilah Douglas, Domestic Violence Specialist, GLIDE Women’s Center The Women’s Center could not exist without volunteers. The Women’s Center is a huge success because of our volunteers and interns. We would not be able to do the work that we do without the many women who have lent us a helping hand. With a

by Zwazzi Sowo, Women’s Center Program Manager In late February, during a GLIDE Women’s Center Healing through Negro Spirituals/Domestic Violence Recovery Group, one client was sharing her recent experience with domestic violence from her boyfriend. She described how she was beaten badly in the streets while people were just walking by and watching. She described

by Joyce Sood, Communications Manager Last week, Galleria Hair Design salon hosted its 3rd Annual “Day of Beauty” for the participants of GLIDE’s Women’s Center Moving Beyond Survival (MBS) Program. The women received haircuts, dyes, conditioning, styling and facials from a team of talented stylists as part of their journey towards self-love and healing. Moving

Dear GLIDE, My name is Lea Möller and I am from Denmark. I have been at GLIDE for six months as an intern from the University of Copenhagen working in the Walk-In Center and the Women’s Center. Very soon I will have to return back to my country, family, friends and school. My experience at

by Talilah Douglas, Domestic Violence Specialist, GLIDE Women’s Center The work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would not have been possible without all the men,  women, boys and girls that were ready to sacrifice their homes, jobs and careers, education and lives. I am so honored to come from a community filled with such

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  What does that mean? An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. Poverty, homelessness and domestic violence are intricately linked – 92% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse. My

by Lillian Mark, Community Building Division Operations Manager This blog is a tribute to some of the wonderful staff and clients in the Community Building Division at GLIDE who have demonstrated GLIDE’s core values to me by “walking the walk.” June Lucarotti, Case Manager in the GLIDE Walk-In Center 3 years ago, had taped a

by Talilah Douglas, Women’s Center Case Manager and Domestic Violence Specialist We have had an amazing year in the Women’s Center. Women have continued to come to our Women On The Move drop in group. And we have seen over the past few years the group become more and more of a community. Last year

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor In my first blog entry, I talked about what it was like to walk a labyrinth in Freedom Hall with members of GLIDE’s Women’s Center. The experience was very powerful, and I have continued to reflect on it. There were six of us walking the labyrinth that day. Six women

by Dr. Karen Oliveto, Pastor Recently, I had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth  with participants of GLIDE’s Women’s Center. Often, people think of labyrinths as mazes, but they are really not the same at all. Mazes are puzzles to be solved, with many choices about which path to take, some which even lead to dead