NEWS
8 • Thursday, April 21, 2022
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
‘A Huge Step in the Right Direction’ Amend Together Fights Domestic Violence by Changing Male Attitudes
YWCA Central Alabama and the Megan Montgomery Domestic Violence Prevention Fund are partnering to introduce the nationally recognized Amend Together program to the greater Birmingham community. Started at the YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, Amend is a pre-
In an event at the Homewood Library on May 2, Shan Foster, national executive director of Amend Together, will make a presentation on how the program works. vention initiative dedicated to ending violence against women and girls by engaging men and boys to challenge the culture that supports violence. The program is now in eight cities across the U.S. In an event at the Homewood Library on May 2, Shan Foster, national executive director of Amend
Together, will make a presentation on how the program works. Several local mayors will be in attendance. The event will run from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Foster is a 2008 graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he was the all-time leading scorer in Commodores men’s basketball history. He later played with the Dallas Mavericks. “Amend Together started over 7 years ago as the YWCA Nashville & Middle TN began exploring the question ‘how do we end domestic violence?’” said Foster. “Through research and speaking with genderbased violence experts nationally we realized that half the population could not end this epidemic alone, we must combat domestic violence together. Hence the name Amend Together. Men must be involved in the solution as role models, allies, and advocates.” “Amend Together is important because it seeks to prevent violence against women and girls from happening in the first place,” said Dr. LaRhonda Magras, CEO of the YWCA of Central Alabama. “It’s important for men to have this conversation with other men and boys because they may have shared expe-
Shan Foster, national executive director of Amend Together, is a 2008 graduate of Vanderbilt University, where he was the all-time leading scorer in Commodores men’s basketball history. He later played with the Dallas Mavericks.
riences that only they can understand. Once identified, they can discuss it without fear of judgment, then learn about healthy communication and healthy relationships.” The biggest reason domestic violence has become such a massive problem, Magras believes, is the ten-
Focusing on Business
John Cassimus serves as an adviser on entrepreneurship studies at the University of Alabama and previously served on the advisory board of the University of Mississippi Business School.
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Alabama on a football scholarship and was a three-year letterman when his team won the SEC Championship. He graduated in 1990 with a degree in finance. After taking on several entrepreneurial endeavors, including starting his own clothing line and music label, Cassimus is best known for founding Zoë’s Kitchen, which expanded on a restaurant started by his mother, Zoë, and father, Marcus. Over the span of eight years, Cassimus built the company into a regional brand with 19 locations in five states before selling it to the
Courtesy
John Cassimus to Keynote Mountain Brook Chamber Luncheon Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce will hold a luncheon May 6 with entrepreneur John Cassimus as the featured speaker. Cassimus will talk about his entrepreneurial endeavors, such as Zoë’s Kitchen, Maki Fresh, Jinsei, Crazy Cazboy’s and Sawtooth Plantation. Cassimus was born in Birmingham, where he grew up and attended Mountain Brook High School. Cassimus was a two-time All-State and Adidas honorable mention All-American football player. He attended the University of
dency of its victims to hide it in the shadows. “Intimate partner violence and domestic violence are the most under-reported crimes in the world,” she said. Reasons range from shame and guilt to victims’ fears of their abusers or fears of being ostracized by their families or faith communities. Domestic violence, Magras pointed out, does not discriminate based on race, socio-economic factors, religion, career or even gender. “One in three women and one in four men experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime,” she said. “And violence is perpetrated by someone who says they love or care for that person.” “Gender-based violence has always been an issue in American society,” said Foster. “It predates everyone living today and has been largely swept under the rug and excused. Taking it a step further, those who witness abuse are more than twice as likely to be a perpetuator or victim.” Whereas Amend was founded to educate men and boys about ending violence against women, the Megan Montgomery Domestic Violence Prevention Fund advocates for healthy
Cava Group. Now, Cassimus gives motivational speeches across the country focusing on his entrepreneurial strategies
Dixie’s Group Offers Pet Grief Support to Those Who Have Lost a Companion Founded by Randy Hays, (pictured) Dixie’s Group offers a safe place for pet loss grief through support groups for people who are suffering from the loss of a beloved companion. The group was established after Hays’ yellow lab, Dixie, passed away. When he looked to the community for a support group, he was inspired to
and tells the story of how Zoë’s Kitchen came to be. Cassimus serves as an adviser on entrepreneurship studies at the
form one himself. He then contacted the Greater Birmingham Humane Society and has become one of the Humane Society’s community partners. The mission of Dixie’s Group is to give support, guidance and resources to people when a family pet has passed. The group provides support free of charge to the pet-loving community and meets the last Tuesday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in room 116 of the Homewood Public Library. Space is limited, so reservations are requested.
relationships by educating young women on the red flags of abusive relationships. The fund was founded by Megan’s mother and stepfather, Susann Montgomery-Clark and Rod Clark, on March 31, 2021, the day Megan’s estranged husband was sentenced for her murder. It seeks to prevent dating and domestic violence before it starts by partnering with like-minded nonprofits and schools. “We looked at lots of programs before we found the Amend program,” said Montgomery-Clark, “and we think it’s the best approach and a huge step in the right direction. We believe when schools, school foundations and cities learn about the program, they will want to do everything they can to implement it for their students.” The problem is even bigger than it seems. Clark said Jefferson County District Attorney Office statistics show 58% of homicide perpetrators have some history of domestic violence. To reserve a spot at the Amend Together event, call Anna Read at the YWCA at (205) 322-9922, ext. 303 or visit https://bit.ly/35oal4y. This event is free and open to the public. University of Alabama and previously served on the advisory board of the University of Mississippi Business School. Among his many accomplishments, Cassimus founded the Cassimus Family Foundation, a nonprofit that has the mission to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. He also founded Sawtooth Plantation, a full-service hunting lodge and deer breeding facility in Southeast Alabama. In his free time, Cassimus is an airplane and helicopter pilot, bow hunter, cyclist, kiteboarder, snowboarder, writer, photographer and chef. The luncheon will be at the Country Club of Birmingham. For more information visit: mtnbrookchamber.org
Journal photo by Ally Morrison
By June Mathews
