Cabrini’s Barbara and John Jordan Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education held its 13th Annual Domestic Violence Education Symposium in October on Cabrini’s campus. This year’s symposium honored the leadership of Barbara (HON’08) and John Jordan, the Center’s founders, and Director Colleen Lelli, EdD (’95), Professor of Education, as well as the Center’s many partners and friends.
Lynn Rosenthal, Director of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence for the US Department of Health and Human Services and longtime friend of the Center, served as keynote speaker and received its Resiliency and Advocacy Award.
“Walking into this room this morning, I was so overcome by this feeling,” she said. “It is that education with love, it is that heart of love, it is that common ground, it is that sense of community that Cabrini has given as a gift to the world.”
Rosenthal recalled that when she first met the Jordans in the White House years ago, she was impressed by their clarity of mission: to help children who had experienced the trauma of domestic violence.
“They were perfectly clear that we all had a role to play in ending this violence,” she said.
Before the program concluded, Barbara and John Jordan offered an emotional address.
“To Colleen and your Cabrini team, you are our heroes,” said John Jordan, speaking about the importance of the Center’s outreach and noting that 1 in 3 families are touched by domestic violence and 1 in 5 girls are sexually abused (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). “All of us involved with the Jordan Center share a common bond with a goal to end domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.”
The symposium ended with words of appreciation from Lelli to the Cabrini community, the Center’s community partners, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, her students, and the Jordans.
“Thank you to the masterminds behind designing [the Jordan Center] and walking alongside us as a community every step of the way,” she said of the Jordans. “You’re both always in my heart.”