Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriane M. Brown.
Adriane is a domestic violence advocate and survivor. Over eight years ago, she was fleeing from domestic violence and moved to Monroe Georgia. After getting her own place she quickly realized that this transition would not be easy and found herself without basic needs, such as towels, a shower curtain, dishes, etc. It took her a long time to acquire all the things she needed. She soon started working at a domestic violence shelter as the transitional housing coordinator. There she would assist clients on how to increase employment skills, stabilize their income, and obtain safe, permanent housing to progress toward violence-free self-sufficiency. While assisting clients with housing she realized that her clients were experiencing a lot of the challenges that she faced with not having the basic needs to make their new place a home. She began meeting each year with ladies in October (Domestic Violence Awareness Month) and she would ask that ladies that came to her meeting to bring towels, shower curtains, can openers, etc. She would then donate these items to the ladies that were moving into their new homes. Adriane also wanted to educate the community about the red flags of domestic violence. She found that a lot of her clients didn’t know they were in an abusive relationship until it was too late. Today, Adriane still holds her dinner meeting every October (Diamonds and Denim Conference) and she still collects items to give to those fleeing domestic violence. Her mission has expanded to include Domestic Minor Child Sex Trafficking and HIV. Adriane found that there is a connection with all three of these issues and is currently doing a 5 City Tour in Northeast Georgia to highlight the epidemic and educate the community. The E3 (Educate, Encourage Empower) Tour will run throughout the summer and end in Covington Georgia in November. Educate, Encourage, Empower has been her tagline for Diamond Ministries as she always wants to Educate by giving resources and information, Encourage by offering emotional support and Empower them to have the authority to take control of their life. For more information please check the website at www.diamondministriesinc.com
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the obstacles have been living in Rural Georgia a lot of people shy away from these subjects and think that it “does not happen here.” So, getting people to attend events or support groups has been a struggle but we continue to have the support and information available. We get numerous calls for assistance and we are a small agency so funding is needed. We are in rural Georgia where transportation is non-existent We are currently fundraising for a van for the agency. We never want to turn anyone away so we work hard to find resources for those fleeing domestic violence or sex trafficking and link those to care that has been recently diagnosed with HIV.
Diamond Ministries – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Diamond Ministries works to end all types of abuse and violence through support, advocacy, prevention, and education while promoting community awareness and accountability.
We are an Outreach Organization that specializes in educating the community about Sex Trafficking, Domestic Violence, and HIV.
We are most proud of being able to bring information to communities we serve in the Northeast Georgia Health District.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was this past month. I was recognized by Emory University for my work in HIV. I was an honoree of the Barbara Vick Impact Award.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.diamondministriesinc.com
- Phone: 706-431-7699
- Email: diamondministriesinc@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diamondministriesinc/
Image Credit:
Kelley Chanel Photography, CarterXCreations
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