Lorenzo Lewis, an entrepreneur and board emeritus of The Confess Project of America mental health nonprofit, leads Atlanta City Hall’s “Paint Atlanta Purple” campaign supporting domestic violence survivors through the Alma Foundation. The foundation is a a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence.
Lewis’ Confess Project of America, which operates in 63 cities in 35 states, trains and arms frontline workers, barbers and stylists to help address mental health challenges that patients and clients have and in the communities they serve. Victims of domestic violence inordinately suffer from mental health issues, which is why Lewis has partnered with Atlanta City Hall and Alma Domestic Violence Foundation.
“The work that we’ve now done with the Paint Atlanta Purple in the campaign with the city of Atlanta and the mayor’s office is helping to increase our voice and our capacity to say that we don’t have to be in this fight alone,” Lewis said.
“That women and men who are going through domestic violence do not have to struggle in silence,” he added. “There are resources. There are things that are available. And I am grateful to be a spokesperson, to be a part of this work that helps with so many other trailblazers in the city of Atlanta to help move this message forward.”
“Paint Atlanta Purple” is a natural extension of Lewis’ commitment to addressing systemic issues like domestic violence that disproportionately impact marginalized populations in America.
Lewis said he can empathize with survivors of domestic violence as he was reared in an environment where it was present and normalized.
“I remember growing up, I had family members who [committed] interpersonal violence … committing domestic violence, and I thought it was normal — and it was not normal. It should not be normalized, and we have to take a stand,” Lewis said.
During the month of October — which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — Lewis and Atlanta are coalescing their resources to confront this important issue as well as providing resources to assist with the healing process.
“In the Paint Atlanta Purple campaign, I play a role as someone who’s a leader in the city of Atlanta, who helps to broaden the conversation around mental health,” Lewis said. “Our work has always been in the Black barbershop, in the Black beauty salon, training barbers and stylists and frontline workers to be mental health advocates.”
For more information about the “Paint Atlanta Purple” campaign launched by the Alma Domestic Violence Foundation, log onto: https://www.facebook.com/AlmaDVF/. You can reach Lewis’ The Confess Project of America via: https://www.theconfessprojectofamerica.org/
