Drea Kelly, the ex-wife of R&B superstar R. Kelly, joined attendees for a Domestic Violence and Homelessness Awareness brunch in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Oct. 8, 2022, to share how she survived abuse in her marriage. Jasmin Galloway, the founder of Jasmine’s Smart House, fulfilled her mission of gathering survivors for her first annual Victory Lap brunch to share their stories for those seeking hope beyond their current circumstances.
Jasmine’s Smart House is a transitional home for pregnant, homeless women in Raleigh, NC. The afternoon began with a women’s panel featuring victims of mental and emotional abuse and homelessness. Each speaker shared the impact these situations have had on their lives and the pervasive thought that the fight would never end. These survivors empowered everyone with what they were able to accomplish with the right plan and support system.
Drea shared with rolling out her experience as a woman who may not have realized she was in an abusive relationship and her need to go back to where abuse was normalized in the past.
“People don’t realize that the physical abuse is the aftermath of all the other abuse you may have already endured. We have disputes, heated arguments, or little tussles that women don’t realize are the precursor of abuse. We have to go back to the beginning of things where it was instilled in us. When we were younger, boys may call us names or put their hands on us; people assumed that boys did that because they liked us. We have to get back to the root of things. For me, it was my grandfather. He was a preacher but the first man I saw beat a woman. I accepted he was a monster, but my grandmother got up and made that man breakfast the next day like nothing ever happened. As I got older, I understood her position, which was confusing for me at a young age. It is a mindset that we have to undo totally as a society. Violence and love in any form do not go together.”
Drea Kelly’s keynote speech positively impacted those in the room, and she continued the positivity by acknowledging the founder, Jasmine Galloway, with a contribution to the fantastic event.
Galloway is also a domestic violence survivor who experienced homelessness. “If you can’t see and there is no position in life, make one. Once the mind is willing, the body is going to follow. Victory Lap lets everyone know that we passed the finish line, so see you at the end. Some people didn’t make it, so we’re here for those people.” she shared with rolling out.
Balloons were released mid-event to honor those who lost their lives to abuse or homelessness. Those who weren’t in a similar circumstance dedicated their balloons to someone they knew or may know who needs uplifting.
