Book Drip and Panel Discussion on Child Abuse Awareness & Prevention

This is a hybrid event. It will be held on the library's 3rd floor in rooms B and C, and also on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82712568533

Letitia Gottashe will read selections from her memoir, I Ain’t Done Yet!, shedding light on the realities of child abuse and child sexual assault. She will also lead her Hybrid Community Book Drip and Panel Discussion on Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention.

Letitia and a panel of local experts will lead an in-depth discussion on recognizing abuse, understanding victim behaviors, and accessing community resources for healing. This program fosters meaningful dialogue, lifelong learning, and community engagement, making it a vital space for awareness, support and reflection.

Author
Letitia Gottashe, an author, child and family advocate, community organizer, and educator, is a proud Native New Yorker and the granddaughter of Caribbean immigrants. She has dedicated 35 years to education, working in federally funded programs such as Head Start and Title I, with a focus on parent and community engagement. Letitia’s lifelong passion for storytelling led to the founding of Letitia Gottashe. This grassroots social impact company produces young adult literature, including her debut memoir, I Ain’t Done Yet!, a powerful testament to resilience in the face of trauma.

Moderator:
Dr. Theresa Hedrington-Garcia, CEO & Founder of Hearts Places Services, a consulting organization born out of her passion and love for a “sweet spot” in special education with neurodiversity approaches. Theresa has over two decades of experience in the educational sector. Throughout her years of education and administrative work, she earned a reputation for being one of the most notable educational consultants in the Five Boroughs and the New York area.

The panelists for this event are:

Janelle Allbritton brings a unique perspective to the discussion. She lived and worked in Southeast Asia for four years after growing up in culturally diverse Southern California before moving to New York in 2009. Her mission is to save lives and increase the quality of life for the most vulnerable. Currently, her focus is on complex/childhood PTSD and its health effects, whether short- or long-term, including suicide prevention.

Maureen Curtis, LMSW MPH, Vice-President, Safe Horizon-Criminal Justice Programs, is responsible for developing and overseeing Safe Horizon’s Criminal Justice Programs. With a staff of more than 200, co-located in family court, criminal court, Family Justice Centers, and precinct locations throughout the city, she has worked in victim services for over 35 years. She has extensive knowledge of criminal justice and victims' rights in the housing system.

Dr. Ed Stephens is a physician who specialized in men’s mental health over a lifetime of practice as a psychiatrist. Along with other professionals from many disciplines and all walks of life, he has championed initiatives to counter the health, education, and overall social decline of men and boys over the last 50 years. He created the Foundation for Male Studies to promote an apolitical and academically rigorous study of all aspects of the male experience.