#freenikki

I sent our very first Letters of HOPE holiday package that included letters of support and art supplies to Nikki Addimando at the Bedford Hills Women's Prison in New York. Nikki saved her life from her abuser. She survived and was punished with years away from her children. Nikki has been creating art that depicts her pain, trauma, and the hope she still has while being imprisoned, so I thought art supplies would be the perfect gift to send her. Art has such a powerful way of changing the world and bringing us together! I’ve used art to communicate with the world when I didn’t have the words to talk about what I went through. My art helped me to regain my voice and use it as a tool to share my story and help others. My hope is that Nikki feels the love from our @freedom4ewa community and is inspired to keep creating until she is free. When Nikki is home and gets the opportunity to start her healing journey, I hope she knows that there are so many of us who support her and are on this journey with her. If you’d like to learn more about Nikki, please visit: @westandwithnikki #survivedandpunished #alivebutnotfree #freenikki #westandwithnikki #domesticviolence #lettersofhope https://www.instagram.com/p/CXgVGh4rGlZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

Last night, I had the honor of attending a vigil in Poughkeepsie, NY, supporting the appeal to Governor Hochul to grant Nikki Addimando clemency. Nikki saved her life and the lives of her children from her abuser. She survived and was punished with years away from her children. She is currently imprisoned in the Bedford Hills Women's Prison in New York. This was the first vigil that I ever attended that was for a survivor who was alive. All the vigils I’ve attended were vigils for victims who lost their lives to domestic violence. The sadness in everyone’s eyes and hearts was the same because as we were all gathered our loved ones were not there. To witness the “purple people” come out for Nikki was powerful. For those of you who don’t know, purple is the color for domestic violence awareness. As I sat there, I thought about what Nikki was doing and feeling at that moment in prison. She should have been there to witness the support of her community and the powerful group of women who make up the Nikki Addimando Community Defense Committee @westandwithnikki These are women, including her sister who have been fighting for her life since day one! Without her community of supporters Nikki could have possibly spent the rest of her life in prison. Domestic violence robs so many women of their lives and we, the people, need to take action to help them as Nikki’s community has done for her. As a survivor of domestic violence, the vigil was a reminder of why I have dedicated my life to bringing awareness to domestic violence through @freedom4ewa Our voices make a difference, and they will no longer be silenced. #freenikki #westandwithnikki #alivebutnotfree #survivedbutpunished #domesticviolence #sexualabuse #pheonixrising #purple #imprisonedsurvivors https://www.instagram.com/freedom4ewa/p/CXXFQU6rZm5/?utm_medium=tumblr

Last night, I had the honor of attending a vigil in Poughkeepsie, NY, supporting the appeal to Governor Hochul to grant Nikki Addimando clemency. Nikki saved her life and the lives of her children from her abuser. She survived and was punished with years away from her children. She is currently imprisoned in the Bedford Hills Women's Prison in New York. This was the first vigil that I ever attended that was for a survivor who was alive. All the vigils I’ve attended were vigils for victims who lost their lives to domestic violence. The sadness in everyone’s eyes and hearts was the same because as we were all gathered our loved ones were not there. To witness the “purple people” come out for Nikki was powerful. For those of you who don’t know, purple is the color for domestic violence awareness. As I sat there, I thought about what Nikki was doing and feeling at that moment in prison. She should have been there to witness the support of her community and the powerful group of women who make up the Nikki Addimando Community Defense Committee @westandwithnikki These are women, including her sister who have been fighting for her life since day one! Without her community of supporters Nikki could have possibly spent the rest of her life in prison. Domestic violence robs so many women of their lives and we, the people, need to take action to help them as Nikki’s community has done for her. As a survivor of domestic violence, the vigil was a reminder of why I have dedicated my life to bringing awareness to domestic violence through @freedom4ewa Our voices make a difference, and they will no longer be silenced. #freenikki #westandwithnikki #alivebutnotfree #survivedbutpunished #domesticviolence #sexualabuse #pheonixrising #purple #imprisonedsurvivors https://www.instagram.com/freedom4ewa/p/CXXFC7NLkAv/?utm_medium=tumblr

I will be putting together a holiday package with letters of support and art supplies to send to Nikki Addimando @westandwithnikki at the Bedford Hills Women's Prison in New York. If you would like to write a letter to Nikki for me to include in her package please direct message me. Your letter can be handwritten or emailed to me. Nikki saved her life from her abuser. She survived, and is punished with years away from her children. She needs our love and support! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 As a survivor of Domestic Violence, I know that this could have easily been my story. That is why I have dedicated my life to helping others impacted by Domestic Violence. Photo taken from @westandwithnikki #westandwithnikki #freenikki #lettersofhope #warrior #survivor #mama #nevergiveup #wesupportyou #notalone #domesticviolence #domesticabuse https://www.instagram.com/p/CW4Sn81s6UF/?utm_medium=tumblr

@freedom4ewa now has an official PO BOX! It is an exciting moment for me because I am expanding my outreach. My eyes have been opened wider by a documentary I recently watched called, @andsoistayed This documentary follows survivors of Domestic Violence that have been incarcerated because they killed their abusers in order to save their lives and the lives of their children. These survivors have been placed behind bars unjustly. I think back to my abusers and the horrific abuse that I’ve endured. I am so fortunate that I did not end up in prison because of them. I escaped with my life and that is way I have dedicated my life to bringing awareness to Domestic Violence. With that being said, I am going to be reaching out to survivors of abuse who are imprisoned by writing them letters of hope. I want them to know that they are not alone. They have a community that is behind them and cares about their well being. Thank you to the directors of, “And So I Stayed” for bringing a voice to those survivors whose voices we cannot hear outside the prison walls. You have impacted my life forever. #youarenotforgotten #freethemall #freenikki #andsoistayed #letterstosurvivors #lettersofhope #outreach #domesticviolence #victims #domesticviolenceawareness #notyetfree #freedom #kimdadoubrown #warriors #notforgotten #westandwithnikki #westandwithyou #dvsja #purple #activism https://www.instagram.com/p/CVlJXF5r1VO/?utm_medium=tumblr

Another woman who killed her abuser in self-defense, this time here in NM. Sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. He was threatening to kill her family. Please sign if you can.