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Listening Care: Serenity House Oakland Offers Domestic Violence Victims Treatment with Solutions

Serenity House’s counseling component provides a safe and confidential environment where survivors can express their feelings and thoughts. The goal, the organization says, is to help them process the traumatic memories so they can move on, says Gray. And case management assists survivors in creating a safety plan, in part, by connecting them to community resources, such as legal assistance, benefits advocacy, employment service, medical services and housing assistance.

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2022

Oakland Post

In the increasingly difficult time that we are living in due to COVID-19 and a rise in crime, services such as the recovery programs that Serenity House Oakland offers are just what the Oakland and Bay Area community need to stay on its feet.

Charlene Muhammad | Special to the Oakland Post

Problems born out of the trauma and cruelty of domestic violence affect families of all backgrounds in Alameda County.

Often the most tragic stories make news headlines, horrifying us, but rarely do we hear about solutions — or resolutions.

Founded by an African American Oakland resident in 2009, Johnnia Faye Davis, Serenity House Oakland is an example of a community-focused organization that centers its services around solutions that can bring about meaningful change in their victims’ lives.

“Recognize signs of abuse. Create a safety plan,” said Sherrol Gray, associate executive director of Serenity House, who encourages the victims they serve to be pro-active about their care, counseling, and recovery.

According to Gray, Serenity House is a residential treatment program for women suffering from addiction and other forms of trauma or abuse. The program offers women the choice to live in their recovery residence or the ability to receive the full scope of their day program services.

Serenity House’s groups include Relapse Prevention, Anger Management, Freedom from Domestic Violence, Parenting, Character Building and Battlefield of the Mind.

Gray recommends survivors become educated, as part of solutions people can apply to their daily lives. One way to escape an abusive situation is to store names of individuals who may be contacted in crisis situations. She encourages survivors to practice self-care and talk about what is happening with someone they trust.

But it is critical to avoid isolating victims, she stated.

Part of Serenity House’s services include a safe shelter program for victims of domestic violence. It provides emergency hotel rooms, wraparound support, resources, and connections to housing and employment for women and children who are fleeing domestic violence.

According to Serenity House, over 74 % of the women who have completed a nine-month stay there have been successful in staying clean and sober and have transformed their lives. In addition, between April and December of 2020, over 40 women and their children received the emergency benefits that their shelters offer and 35 have been connected to housing and employment.

Gray shed further light on some solutions that Serenity House is implementing to help prevent domestic violence, such as safe environments for survivors.

“Most survivors tend to remain in abusive relationships due to lack of finances or a safe place to go. Therefore, we assist survivors with short term hotel vouchers or referrals to safe shelters and transitional housing,” said Gray. “Lastly, but most important, a chance to connect with others who have been in similar situations and reduce feelings of isolation brought on by the abuser.”

Serenity House also assists with support groups that provide survivors with education to help them recognize abuse, learn effective communication skills and develop healthy relationships, according to Gray.

Family members may add to the many solutions individuals can implement in their everyday lives,” Gray pointed out. “Be supportive and encouraging. Help survivors feel empowered to leave or make the decision to leave. Avoid being judgmental or critical.”

Most of all, Gray insists, providing solutions-focused care requires patience, empathy and encouragement.

“Survivors will refrain from talking to anyone, if felt judged. Don’t criticize the abuser. Do not pressure survivors to leave. Continue to support survivors after they have left the relationship. Offer counseling and/or support groups,” she added.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

7 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.