It was never love-it was never forever. One in four women and one in seven men will be a victim of domestic violence once in their lifetime. Chances are you or someone you love could be next.
Safe horizon partnered with Miss America and The Painted Nail to continue spreading awareness and empowering not victims, but survivors. Unfortunately, I witnessed someone close to me struggle with an abusive relationship. Even worse, that is all I did- be a witness. I was lucky enough to no longer just be a witness and attend Safe Horizon’s annual gala. I even wore a suit. If you know me, you know this is a big deal, though I did miss my sweatpants.
Hosted at the rooftop of The Terrace Club, the gala offered an array of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Special guests included NFL Hall of Famer Nick Lowery, Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev, and recording artist Kelly Levesque. At first glance, Kira and Kelly had a few things in common. They’re blonde, tall, and dressed well. They both smiled cheerily throughout the evening. What I didn’t know was that behind those smiles are survivors. Kira detailed meeting Kelly and both entrusting each other with their stories, which led them to team up with Safe Horizon and use their platforms to make a difference. This evening they entrusted us, with the hopes that they will recruit us onto their team. My basketball skills are at a third-grade level and I will never be able to throw a spiral football. This is a sport I can get behind.
Kelly also premiered her music video Never Forever, which depicts the day she decided to leave her abusive relationship. She also performed it live and also sang, “Take My Lips”, which is presumably about her current relationship and being in love. She said “take my lips” is another phrase for “I love you”. Her husband played the piano, and couldn’t hold back tears when congratulating Kelly for how far she has come. At the end of the performance an Oscar’s styled selfie was organized, encouraging all the guests to show off their purple nails. The Painted Nail was there throughout the night, painting attendees’ nails purple, as symbolism of support to survivors of domestic violence. Of course, I missed the memo and stood awkwardly in a corner, concealing my hands. Kira proved she is more than just Miss America, serving as technical assistance when the selfie stick wasn’t working.Enjoy the video I took of Kelly performing “Take My Lips”.
