Antonia Clemente is the Founder of The Healing Center, a nonprofit organization committed to the intervention and prevention of family violence, abuse and sexual assault that serves people of diverse faiths, cultures, and personal experiences. Antonia has more than 40 years of experience working within the Latino community. In 2000, Antonia Clemente established The Healing Center in response to the growing need to serve women and families affected by intimate partner violence. It is a place where women can begin the process of healing and restoring hope in their lives.

In 2009, Antonia Clemente spearheaded a new project called The Daughters of the Lotus for teenage girls who witness and are victimized by violence in the home and in response to the growing epidemic of teen dating violence. The program encourages positive self-image, healing through the arts, goals development, creative activities, and community action. In 2010, Antonia Clemente saw the need to increase awareness about teen dating violence. Under her leadership, the NYC Teen Dating Violence Awareness Walk-a-Thon was created to build a platform highlighting the intersections of violence affecting youth. The Annual Walk-A-Thon brings attention to the threat that teens face through a walk that spans between Brooklyn Heights’ Cadman Plaza and Manhattan’s City Hall.

Under her administration The Healing Center expanded services to include children and senior programs. The Hi-5 Children’s program serves children who have witnessed domestic violence through individual, expressive art, and play therapy. The Elder Justice program serves older people in the community by facilitating group workshops, elder abuse education, and community outreach, leading to awareness, available resources, and a better understanding of elder abuse. In 2023, under her leadership the organization was able to acquire federal funds to address sexual assault in the Latino community with Projecto Betsaida.

Antonia Clemente completed Pastoral Care Studies certification at Blanton Peale Institute and one year of Clinical Pastoral Education at Long Island College Hospital and attended the College of Staten Island. A member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, she has served on the Justice for Women Consulting Committee for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Featured in documentaries such as What Harm Is It To Be A Woman and I BELIEVE YOU, Clemente is dedicated to supporting marginalized women and children and advocates for ending family violence locally and globally.

Darlene S. Torres (she/her/ella), LMSW, is the Director of Client Services at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. Darlene identifies as a Queer LatinX activist, social worker, and educator, with more than 20 years in the intersecting fields of anti-violence, economic, and disability justice work. Darlene has extensive experience working with survivors of all forms of violence who identify as queer, trans, non-binary, and HIV affected, providing trauma-informed, survivor-centered services that address and challenge intersecting issues of power, privilege, and oppression, and promote social justice and equity.

Sauti Yetu is a community based social service organization based with offices in the Bronx and Staten Island. Sauti Yetu means “Our Voice” in Swahili, a language spoken in east and central Africa.  As the executive director, Ms. Eyega manages the day to day functioning of the organizations, guiding its strategic directions and conducting public policy advocacy nationally.  Ms. Eyega has published in sexual and reproductive issues and gender-based violence affecting African immigrant women and girls in the United States. In addition to teaching and speaking, Ms. Eyega has facilitated numerous cross-cultural competency training workshops for healthcare providers and reproductive health promotion seminars for immigrant women and girls across the U.S.  She has a BA from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont and a Master’s of Science from the New School University in New York. Ms. Eyega completed a second Masters degree in public health with a focus on Urban Public from Icann School of Medicine at Mr. Sinai.