Community College & Grace Smith House Work Together

POUGHKEEPSIE – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Grace Smith House, Inc. is partnering with the Dutchess Community College Mildred I. Washington Gallery on one of the largest exhibitions of the Clothesline Project. The Clothesline Project is a visual display of t-shirts created by domestic violence victims and their loved ones. Every shirt is designed to represent each individual’s domestic violence experience. This emotional expression is part of a national movement created to bear witness, help those impacted by the healing process, educate, and raise awareness of the extent of the domestic and sexual violence problem.

The exhibit opens September 30th and closes October 25th with an opening reception Wednesday, October 2nd from 5:00-7:00 PM. There will be a tabling event in partnership with the DCC Counseling Center to contextualize the exhibit and raise awareness about on-campus services at 12:30 on October 3rd in the Gallery.

The Gallery will display hundreds of t-shirts created over nearly forty years. DCC Communications and Media Arts students produced an emotionally engaging video about the Clothesline Project that will be included in the exhibit. The video includes interviews with domestic violence survivors and presents how the creative process can help survivors deal with a history of trauma.

“Through the Clothesline Project 2024, Grace Smith House is increasing awareness of the devastating impact of domestic violence on families, celebrating the strength and resiliency of survivors, and providing ways to break through the silence that often surrounds domestic violence. Thank you Dutchess Community College for hosting the Clothesline Project at the Mildred I. Washington Gallery. Together we are reaching more community members about the signs of abuse, creating a dialogue on how to stop domestic violence, and uplifting survivors. For details, www.gracesmithhouse.org.”

Opening its doors in 1981, Grace Smith House has been serving the community for forty-three years. For over four decades, courageous, compassionate, and empowered survivors have stepped across the threshold and received the support they needed to stop the cycle of domestic violence in their lives. Their door is open to every member of the community.
The Mildred I. Washington Gallery is open to the public Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Gallery is located at 1 Gallery Circle, Poughkeepsie, NY, on the North side of the Dutchess Community College Campus.

Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College is a two-year community college that has earned a reputation for providing an outstanding education and offers one of the lowest tuition rates in New York State. The College currently has four locations including its main campus in Poughkeepsie, DCC @ Fishkill, DCC @ HVR Airport, and DCC @ the Partnership. For more information visit www.sunydutchess.edu.

The mission of Grace Smith House, Inc. is to empower individuals and families to live free from domestic violence by:
– Providing shelter and apartments, advocacy counseling, and education.
– Raising the consciousness of the community regarding the extent, type, and seriousness of domestic violence.
– Initiating and taking positions on public policies to provide options that empower victims of domestic violence.

For more information or to seek advice, go to www.gracesmithhouse.org. or call our 24-hour, 7 days-a-week house hotline at 845-471-3033.