Meet the Domestic Violence Education and Prevention Team at MSP!
Since 1981, MSP has been committed to reaching the young people in our community. Through education and leadership training efforts, we have reached hundreds of youth to spread awareness, teach leadership skills, and educate them on healthy relationships. It’s preventative action like this that can create real change in our neighborhoods. Read on to hear from Jay and Cris!
A Message from Jay:
I oversee the Domestic Violence Education Program, also known as DVEP, where I coordinate our prevention programs for youth across the county. Through our Healthy Relationships workshops and our Relationship Empowerment And Leadership (REAL) discussion groups, we provide a space for elementary through high school students to explore various topics, including reflecting on our understanding of relationships and their biases, honoring the relationship with ourselves through exploring consent and boundaries, comparing the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships, understanding the warning signs and tactics of abuse, and developing safety plans when helping others who are navigating unhealthy and/or abusive relationships. During my time at MSP I have established and maintained relationships with various youth serving professionals across the county, such as school administration, teachers, libraries, community groups, and with existing youth programs and initiatives. Since our time in the classroom is impacted by class schedules, which often limit the amount of time students are able to interact with our programs, we also host week-long institutes for middle and high school students where they are encouraged to dig deeper into the foundations of relationship violence and to reflect on how they can create change in their local communities.
To continue this conversation outside of our youth prevention initiatives, we also provide programs for adults through our Parent/ Caregiver Talks program. The goal of this initiative is to provide the space for youth serving professionals, parents, and caregivers to explore their own biases about relationships so they can feel better prepared to recognize the warning signs of unhealthy dynamics of the relationships of the youth in their lives and how to have conversations about it with them.
While I continue to learn the history of our Youth Education programs through Kym, I am proud to know that during my 4.5 years as part of this team that because of our Summer Leadership Institute, our work has influenced MSP leadership to seek out funding to provide more institutes for youth across the county throughout the year. Through these Students Advocating for Equal Relationships (SAFER) Leadership Institutes, we will be able to create a larger impact on the different communities throughout Westchester by helping our youth develop their leadership skills.
My favorite experiences in this role have been connecting with the students. From creating a space for youth in elementary schools to reflect that there are adults out there that will allow them to make their own decisions by listening to their boundaries, to being a possibility model for middle school students who are navigating their own identities, to hearing from teachers and high school program participants how our summer leadership program launched their confidence in leadership in their communities- I am so proud to be the person that helps spark this for every single one of them. I have also been invited to be a speaker and a guest at various youth-led initiatives and programs because we are recognized as people who they trust that will show up to support our communities. Being part of the team that makes this all possible is one of the biggest joys of not only my time as part of the Education and Prevention Team, but a highlight for my own professional development as I continue to navigate my own career.
A Message from Cris:
I am a bilingual professional, fluent in English and Spanish, dedicated to making education and advocacy accessible for all. I’m committed to continually expanding my knowledge, understanding that growth is essential to meeting the evolving needs of the communities she serves. At My Sisters’ Place, I am the Community Trainer for Giant Steps Through Athletics, a leadership program specifically for student athletes.
Our mission is to create meaningful spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and equipped to succeed both on and off the field. We believe education is fundamental to helping individuals make informed decisions. By engaging youth early and providing them with knowledge and tools, we help build a foundation for confidence, critical thinking, and long-term success, by strengthening not only individual futures, but entire communities.
In recent years, we have reached significant milestones that reflect the strength of this work. We have hosted two Giant Steps Through Athletics Conferences, bringing together staff, youth, and community leaders to examine the intersections of sports, leadership, and violence prevention. These conferences have reinforced collaboration across our organization and deepened our shared commitment to youth development.
Partnerships remain central to our impact. We have strengthened our collaborations with the Mount Vernon Boys and Girls Club, expanding the depth and sustainability of our programming. Our work with the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon began last year, and we are proud to have been invited back, an affirmation of the program’s value and effectiveness.
At Mount Vernon High School, we are facilitating sessions with the Girls Flag Football team, which includes students from the Denzel Washington School of the Arts at Nellie Thornton High School and the Mount Vernon S.T.E.A.M Academy. We continue to lead workshops with the Boys JV and Varsity Football teams, ensuring that both young women and young men engage in conversations centered on leadership, accountability, and healthy relationships. We have also broadened our outreach by connecting with students during Knights Day, further strengthening our presence within the Mount Vernon community.
Looking ahead, we are excited to launch a new partnership this summer with the Yonkers Police Athletic League, where we will facilitate workshops with their girls’ group. This collaboration represents another step in expanding liberated spaces for young women.
A key innovation this year has been the development of Safe Passage, a board game designed to foster dialogue around healthy relationships and domestic violence. As an interactive learning tool, it encourages participants to reflect on and challenge assumptions while promoting shared understanding. A recent pilot with Yonkers staff highlighted the importance of presenting complex topics in accessible, inclusive ways and affirmed the game’s potential to spark meaningful, transformative conversations.
As we take Giant Steps together to remain committed to expanding opportunities and creating a lasting impact for the youth and communities we serve.
Learn more about our programming here.