BRIDGEPORT, CT — The Center for Family Justice (CFJ) is hosting the 4th annual Speaking of Men breakfast this Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Trumbull Marriott at 8 a.m. The events features Emeka Nnaka, a motivational speaker, mental health therapist and leading advocate for hope.
Nnaka, who found strength through tremendous adversity, has been featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” where he discussed the Americans with Disabilities Act on its 25th anniversary for a national audience. His story has also been featured in national publications such as The Mighty, The Washington Post, and TED talks.
Nnaka has been a returning guest on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” where he was recognized for his resilience through life’s challenges and service to the community.
Thursdays breakfast is organized by CFJ’s White Ribbon Campaign, an initiative to end violence against women by engaging men and boys in efforts to break the generational cycles of gender-based violence and abuse.
Gary McNamara, chairman of the White Ribbon Committee, said, “the purpose of the White Ribbon Campaign is to engage young men and help to prevent violence against women and girls. We want to get the message out and to cultivate relationships with men and boys to prevent them from becoming offenders.”
“Men should stand up against domestic violence and help foster positive influences in any type of relationships,” said Matthew Reale, chairman of the board of directors at CFJ.
McNamara and Reale are working together with the White Ribbon Campaign to present the 4th Annual “Speaking with Men” event. The pair said they need to do all they can to stop violence in our community.
“I want to have impact,” McNamara said. “I had impact as the former police chief of Fairfield, I have impact at The Center for Family Justice, and you can have impact too. We can impact change. The White Ribbon Campaign is a really good way that we can change the lives of women and girls in our community.”
Each year, CFJ provides crisis and supportive services to more than 4,500 adults and children impacted by domestic and sexual violence and child abuse living in the communities of Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Stratford, Monroe and Trumbull. The impact for clients is life changing.
CFJ’s services include a 24-hour crisis hotline and an emergency safe house for survivors of domestic violence, as well as comprehensive supportive services for those seeking to rebuild their lives after trauma. These services include safety planning, support groups and self-sufficiency programs.
Camp HOPE America-Bridgeport is another program that CFJ offers for youth ages 7-17 impacted by the trauma of domestic or sexual violence.
For information about “Speaking with Men,” call Lauren Cicchetti at 203-993-8135 or email her at [email protected].
