Safe Lives, Strong Voices Ep.9

Host Soo welcomes listeners to the February 2026 episode of Save Lives, Strong Voices, sharing important conversations centered on awareness, equity, and community impact. In this episode, Soo highlights Black History Month and the importance of culturally responsive, survivor-centered support, along with Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and how education empowers young people to build healthy relationships.

Listeners will also hear updates about Tri-Valley Haven’s ongoing programs, including housing stability services, food pantry distribution, and trauma-informed support for survivors and their children. Soo shares how community partnerships and compassionate advocacy continue to help families move from crisis to long-term stability.

The episode also features exciting news about Wings of Hope: Light the Gala, including early bird tickets now available, with this year’s event supporting the shelter rebuild. As always, Soo reminds listeners that Tri-Valley Haven’s 24/7 crisis line (800-884-8119) is available for anyone in need of immediate support.

Tune in for meaningful stories, critical awareness, and ways you can stay involved in building a safer, stronger community.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:06

Hi everyone, welcome back to Safe Lives Strong Voices, a podcast by Trivalley Haven. And I'm so glad you're here with us. February is a powerful month. It's a time for reflection, awareness, education, and action. It's a month where history, prevention, healing, and hope all come together. And here at Trivalley Haven, February holds deep meaning as we continue our mission to create safe homes and strong communities. Today we'll be talking about Black History Month, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, the importance of survivor support, our domestic violence support group, and our upcoming Wings of Hope Light the Way Gala. So settle in with us for a meaningful conversation about resilience, equity, and community care. Let's begin with Black History Month. Black History Month is a time to honor the achievements, leadership, and resilience of Black communities throughout history. It is also a time to acknowledge the realities that continue to impact safety, health, and opportunity today. When we talk about intimate partner violence, we must acknowledge that Black communities are disproportionately impacted. Research shows that black survivors experience higher rates of intimate partner violence and are more likely to experience severe or fatal outcomes. The research also tells us something important about help seeking. Many black survivors do reach out for support, but the pathways they take and the barriers they encounter can look different. Survivors often turn first to trusted networks, family members, close friends, faith communities before engaging with formal systems like law enforcement, shelters, or healthcare providers. When survivors do seek formal support, they may face additional challenges shaped by racism, discrimination, and systemic bias. Some describe having to persist, calling multiple times, advocating strongly for themselves, navigating complicated processes, just to receive basic protection. Survivors move through different phases resistance, persistence, rejection, and sometimes resignation. Depending on their experiences, some continue pushing through barriers, some disengage from systems that have not responded equitably. Some feel exhausted after repeatedly seeking help without meaningful support. What this tells us is not that survivors lack resilience, it tells us that systems must be more responsive, equitable, and accountable. At Tri-Valley Haven, Black History Month calls us to reflect on how we show up. Are we culturally responsive? Are we building trust intentionally? Are we offering warm, supported connections rather than simply referrals? Are we reducing barriers instead of unintentionally reinforcing them? Safety work must be inclusive. Support must be accessible. Survivors should not have to fight to be believed. They should not have to navigate unnecessary obstacles to receive protection. Black History Month reminds us that advocacy must be rooted in justice. It reminds us that cultural humility matters. It reminds us that faith, family, and community are powerful sources of strength, and that formal systems must work in partnership, not opposition. And most importantly, it reminds us that every survivor of every race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and background deserves dignity, responsiveness, and real options for safety. At Trivalley Haven, we remain committed to listening and improving and centering the voices of those most impacted. Not just this month, but every day. February is also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. This is such an important conversation. Teen dating violence affects millions of young people each year. One in three teens in the United States will experience some form of dating abuse, whether that's emotional manipulation, digital harassment, physical harm, or sexual coercion. And today, abuse doesn't just happen face to face. It can happen through constant texting, location tracking, password sharing, social media monitoring, or threats made online. Digital spaces have expanded the ways that control and coercion can show up in young relationships. But here's what we also know: prevention works. When young people learn early what healthy relationships look like, when they understand consent, boundaries, communication, and respect, cycles of violence can be interrupted before they continue into adulthood. At Tri Valley Haven, prevention education is a critical part of our work. Through outreach in schools and youth programs, we help teens understand the difference between love and control. We teach them that jealousy is not proof of affection, that isolation is not protection, that respect is non-negotiable. We also encourage parents, caregivers, educators, and trusted adults to have open, non-judgmental conversations with the young people in their lives. Sometimes the most powerful prevention tool is simply listening. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is about empowerment. It's about giving young people the language, tools, and confidence to expect healthy love and to seek help if something doesn't feel right. Now let's talk about healing and support. Survivors of domestic violence often carry invisible wounds, emotional trauma, fear, and isolation. And while safety planning and emergency shelter are critical, healing is a longer journey. That's why our domestic violence support group is such an important space. This in-person, eight-week support group meets every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. It is open to adults 18 and over who identify as women. The group begins on Thursday, February 26. In this confidential and supportive environment, participants are welcome to share at their own pace. There is no pressure, there is no judgment, just a circle of understanding. Together, participants explore the dynamics of abuse, rebuild self-worth, establish boundaries, and begin to reclaim their voice. There's something incredibly powerful about sitting in a room and realizing you're not alone. Isolation is one of the most damaging tools of abuse. Community is one of the most powerful antidotes. For intake, location information, or inquiries, please call 925-449-5847 with the extension of 2607. Now we want to share something exciting. Tickets are officially on sale for our annual Wings of Hope Light the Way Gala, and early bird pricing is available right now. This year's gala is especially meaningful. The funds raised will go directly towards supporting the rebuild of our emergency shelter. Our shelter is more than a building. It is the first safe night after crisis. It is a warm bed for a child who hasn't slept peacefully in months. It is a doorway to stability, counseling, and hope. Rebuilding our shelter means modernized trauma-informed spaces designed with healing in mind. The Wings of Hope Gala is a celebration of resilience and community. It brings together supporters, advocates, local leaders, volunteers, and survivors who believe in a world free from violence. Early word tickets are available for a limited time until March 7th, 2026, and we invite you to join us for an evening on April 17th at Shanna Community Center that will inspire, uplift, and directly impact lives. And speaking of community, we need to take a moment to say thank you to our volunteers. You are the quiet strength behind so much of what happens at Tri-Vally Haven. Whether you're answering crisis calls, assisting with data entry, organizing donations at the food pantry, supporting events, or helping prepare outreach materials, you matter so deeply. Volunteers extend our capacity, and you help ensure that no one seeking help feels alone. Community care saves lives, and our volunteers embody that every single day. We are endlessly grateful for your time, your heart, and your dedication. And as we close today's episode, we want to leave you with this. February reminds us that history shapes the present. It reminds us that young voices deserve protection. It reminds us that equity matters, it reminds us that healing is possible, and it reminds us that community changes everything. So whether you plan to attend a gala, volunteer your time, or share our resources, support our shelter rebuild, or simply start a conversation about healthy relationships, you are part of this movement. You're helping create a future where safety is not a privilege, but a right. So thank you for being here and thank you for listening, and thank you for being part of Safe Lives Strong Voices. And until next time, take care of yourself and each other.