Millions raised to fund organizations against domestic violence
by Shawn Nowlin
The number of women who will endure physical violence at some point in their lives from an intimate partner is higher than one may think. According to the Kering Foundation, an organization that combats all violence in every culture and social class, the data shows the numbers are one in three women.
For as long as Kiesha Preston, 35, can remember, there has been a huge stigma surrounding the victims of domestic violence. Preston, who has experienced both financial and physical abuse from previous partners, says years ago, she and her children were very close to being homeless.
“Ninety-nine percent of domestic violence victims experience some sort of financial abuse, whether it’s a partner draining bank accounts, cutting off their access to money to ‘punish’ them, sabotaging their efforts to work, ruining credit, etc.,” she said. “That’s a big part of the reason why a lot of victims don’t leave. They don’t have the means to get out, and it’s also a huge factor why so many victims who do get out wind up going back.”
Someone who does a lot of domestic violence advocacy and consulting work, one of the organizations Preston frequently works with is the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). It was said organization that invited Preston to say a few words on camera for a short film earlier this year. Her submission was so powerful that she was later invited to be the keynote speaker at the inaugural Kering Foundation’s Caring for Women Dinner on Sept. 15 in New York City.
Hosted by Anderson Cooper and co-chaired by Salma Hayek-Pinault, the list of attendees was like a who’s who of Hollywood: Samuel L. Jackson, Gloria Steinem, Emma Watson, Karlie Kloss, Jodie Turner-Smith, Julie Mehretu, Christy Turlington Burns, Kat Graham, Ed Burns, LaTanya Richardson, Gisele Bündchen, Adam Silver and many more.
Preston, whose green Bloomingdale’s dress was a gift from the Kering Foundation, wound up sitting across from Leonardo DiCaprio and Queen Rania of Jordan. Asked if she was ever nervous, she replied, “I was initially, just because this was a big event, but I just reminded myself that what I had to say was important, that they wouldn’t have invited me if they didn’t think I could do the job. Also, regardless of who was in the room throughout the night, they’re just people.”
The event began with Cooper explaining how gender-based violence happens. “I’ve seen sexual violence used as a weapon of war when I was reporting in the Congo. We hear it in the devastating stories coming out of Ukraine today. It is everywhere, and it touches everyone,” said the CNN anchor.
Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kering and Chairman of the Kering Foundation, later encouraged all in attendance and those watching live to unite in addressing the threat of worldwide gender-based violence. “Progress comes when more and more voices come together to say, ‘This cannot stand. This must change. This is unacceptable,’” he said.
Golden Globe Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning musician Andra Day ended the evening with a powerful production, beginning with a rendition of Billi Holiday’s “God Bless the Child” and concluding with a performance of her latest song, “Rise Up.”
Describing the event as “a full circle moment,” Preston added, “Six years ago, I was at my lowest and genuinely didn’t know how I was going to make it out of that situation. I was given the opportunity to take that awful thing that happened to me and turn it around for good and use my experience to fight to help bring other people out safely too. I went from feeling like I had no voice to using my voice to address a room full of celebrities and some of the most influential people on the planet.”
The Kering Foundation event has since raised over three million dollars with proceeds expected to go to the NNEDV, Global Fund For Women, Jordan River Foundation, and the Ms. Foundation for Women. Additional information, including more resources for domestic violence victims, can be found at keringfoundation.org
