Ms. Drea Kelly, domestic violence advocate and survivor, transformed a crowd of 60+ persons at “A Night with Drea”, on 4th March, at the Resorts and Residences by CuisinArt Ballroom. Attendees, both male and female, listened attentively as she spoke powerfully about the tainted fruits of violence often created from roots of abuse that run throughout families and communities. “You must know your roots in order to know your fruits”, she exclaimed. Ms. Kelly emphatically described witnessing the physical abuse her grandfather inflicted on her grandmother and determined not to live in the same fate – fighting for freedom from abuse.
During brief moments, the audience laughed at her sometimes comical style of speaking about a serious topic. Some were even brought to tears by her heart-wrenching details of the pain she suffered before leaving her notable ex-husband, R & B singer R. Kelly, after suffering years of verbal and physical abuse. She recounted her personal journey and shared intimate details with the audience stating, “If you’re sitting here today listening to my voice, and you’re in a situation and saying ‘what I’ve been through, no one understands,’ well I’ve been there two times over. You’re looking at a woman who tried to commit suicide not once, but twice, because I thought ‘God this can’t be worth living for, this can’t be what life is, this can’t be why you had me to be born”.
Ms. Kelly offered redeeming words of wisdom and encouraged all in attendance by noting, “In my journey, I learned that my today is for somebody else’s tomorrow. You may not see the light at the end of the tunnel, and the rainbow today, but know that tomorrow somebody’s going to have a storm. You’re going to be that sunshine that comes through the clouds. You’ll be someone that they can look to and say ‘that’s what overcoming looks like.’”
The “Night with Drea” event received overwhelming support locally as a testament to the collective belief that violence in all its forms is unacceptable. The management of Belmond Cap Juluca utilized the opportunity to provide staff members a space to discuss issues of violence and abuse, acknowledging that such issues can plague our families and communities, ultimately affecting the workplace and business operations.
Dr. Ronya Foy Connor, Director of Gender Affairs Anguilla and organizer of the event stated, “Having Ms. Kelly in Anguilla solidified our commitment to addressing issues of domestic violence in Anguilla. We are also motivated to organize the needed systems of support in collaboration with the pending SAFE domestic violence hotline, first responder trainings and continued advisement from UN Women.” Dr. Foy Connor continued on to say, “Ms. Kelly brought added sunshine to our tropical paradise and breathed life and truth into issues of abuse that we are all too silent about. I personally look forward to strengthening this US-Caribbean activism against domestic violence with Ms. Kelly as a powerful advocate.”
During the evening’s proceedings, Ms. Kelly addressed questions from the audience. In response to one question regarding her personal commitment to ending domestic violence, she proclaimed, “My advocacy work is so important because we know the horror stories of abuse, we know what that looks like. We know the pain, we know the terror but we don’t know how we stand back up. How do we believe in us again? How do we love us again? And that’s why I am here.” She continued to motivate and support women, in particular, through her personal philosophy and tidbits of wisdom: “I live my life as an advocate because I want women to see the light before they’re in the darkness. And know that even when the light goes out there’s something in you that shines bright. You should never dim your light for anybody else to shine brighter.”
“A Night with Drea” was one of many events and activities held during Anguilla’s Women’s Week 2019, 3rd – 10th March, through the Gender Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Social Development. Key sponsors included the Anguilla Social Security Board, Resorts & Residences by CuisinArt, Webster Law, Shernika Connor, NAGICO, ABC Supplies, D-3 Enterprises and Haskins Limited. In-kind support was provided by the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce, Black Orchid Florists, GB Ferries, Bennie’s Travel and Tours, Andy’s Auto Rentals, Patsy’s Seaside Villas, IWAS, Island Bowls, Village Bake House, Madeariman, Ember, Straw Hat, Four Seasons Bamboo Bar & Grill and Picante Restaurant. Services were also provided by Thoughtful Agency, Zuri Wilkes Photography, Gilbert Fleming and Chef Karimah Carty.
Please contact the Gender Affairs Unit at (264) 497-3930 or Ronya.Foy-Connor@gov.ai for more information about the Unit, this event, or resources to stop domestic violence and abuse.
