We are proud to spotlight our extraordinary Volunteer, Contributor, and Board Member, Kristina Mitchell, who has been influential in spreading awareness for AWBW’s mission since 2011! Kristina has put on several productions of “The Vagina Monologues” for V-Day, and chosen AWBW to be the beneficiary for the performances. Kristina says she, “found AWBW and fell in love with the team and the positivity that [we] have and share in helping women and children. The rest, as they say, is history!”

Our team is so grateful to benefit from Kristina’s past V-Day productions, and we were thrilled to have her support as co-chair of our annual fall gala, Artworks for Healing. The first moment she realized she was making a difference was when she heard how many shelters her first V-Day production was able to support. “It inspired me to raise more, to help even more.” Kristina’s leadership within our gala event committee and out in the community is inspiring! She energized the group with encouragement and her contagious positivity, and motivated each member to bring their unique skills together. The result was our most successful fundraising event to date. She is always willing to reach out to friends, colleagues, and even strangers as supporters for AWBW – and does it all with a smile!

“I continue to volunteer with AWBW as I’m inspired by the growth, constant determination, and creative outlook in their work. I love that art is the healing tool. I love that something positive can come from something so negative.” Kristina found her own healing while spending an afternoon in our Venice studio simply making sculpey hands for our shelter partners. She was going through some personal difficulty, and experienced the cathartic relief of creating, molding, and making something.

“Volunteering for me isn’t a choice; it’s something I think that everyone should do. It really takes a village, and I believe that we need to take care of one another. Volunteering has brought a sense of fulfillment to me. All I want to do is try to leave this earth a little better than I found it, and giving time, and heart to charity is hopefully making that happen. What I’ve learned through volunteering at AWBW is that volunteer work can be fun and full of cheer! I’ve learned and been inspired to be creative in ways of healing.”

Thank you, Kristina, for going above and beyond to support survivors of domestic abuse. We can’t imagine AWBW without your creativity, energy, and leadership!