Announcing Reimagine Lab: Preventing cycles of violence, now and into the future

Domestic violence is a complex problem. Its causes occur over the span of years or decades, and its effects can reverberate throughout survivors’ lives, families, and communities—perpetuating the cycle of violence for the generation growing up exposed to it. At the Foundation, we know we won’t solve such a complex problem alone. We must broaden our base of partners and allies to develop solutions that can prevent the causes of violence before they take hold and help to heal those already exposed to violence.

In February, I shared my excitement about a new design lab and our intention to bring together leaders from diverse backgrounds to learn, reflect, and co-create to develop promising ideas and solutions to break the multi-generational cycle of domestic violence. Today, we are excited to announce the official launch of Reimagine Lab: Preventing cycles of violence, now and into the future, and to introduce you to the fellows at the heart of this work.

The 16 Reimagine Lab fellows were selected from a pool of hundreds of applicants from across California. Together, they will work to identify prevention approaches to end cycles of family and domestic violence. The fellows traveled last month to Pacific Grove, California, for the first of five workshops that comprise the overall Reimagine Lab experience. The first two-day workshop was designed to cultivate a sense of community among the fellows, the majority of whom were meeting each other for the first time, and to establish Reimagine Lab’s overall goals and values. The group established a creative space for audacious ideas to be considered, thinking beyond barriers and limitations.

A few of us from the Foundation had the opportunity to meet with the fellows before the first lab. They bring with them a diversity—of backgrounds, ideas, experiences, and perspectives—that reflects California’s communities. What they share without exception, however, is a steadfast commitment to ending domestic violence and an openness to new ways of solving this complex problem. From the 35-year veterans of the domestic violence field to the 19-year-old college student, the fellows bring a mix of pragmatism and passion to Reimagine Lab—and we can’t wait to see what ideas they develop.

We invite you to meet the Reimagine Lab fellows below and to join them on this journey over the next few months. We’ll be sharing stories, new ideas, and lessons learned along the way. Sign up for our email updates to stay informed about the lab and about other future opportunities to partner with us as we work to break the cycle of domestic violence.

Sonya Young Aadam Inglewood California Black Women’s Health Project
Trisha Baird Kings Beach Tahoe SAFE Alliance
Jorge Fernandez  Modesto Golden Valley Health Centers
Rick Green San Jose Community Member
Sandra Henriquez Sacramento California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Frances Ho San Francisco Judicial Council of California
Navya Kaur Fremont Society of Women Engineers, San Jose State University
Evelyn Magana  Apple Valley Family Assistance Program
Christopher Masilon  Anaheim  Anaheim Police Department
Rain McNeill  Sacramento  California Rural Indian Health Board
Ana Rosa Najera Long Beach Lumos Transforms
Rabeya Sen Los Angeles Esperanza Community Housing Corporation
Devika Shankar Simi Valley  Los Angeles LGBT Center
Sharon Turner Concord STAND! For Families Free of Violence
Mx. Addison Rose Vincent Los Angeles TransLatin@ Coalition
Ebony Utley Long Beach Communications Studies, California State University, Long Beach