Shreveport non-profit works to help domestic violence and sexual assault victims

For over 10 years a Louisiana-based non-profit has been serving domestic violence and sexual assault victims of Northwest Louisiana.

Project Celebration Inc. is a small team non-profit that provides direct services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and children experiencing violence in Northwest Louisiana.

Their reach covers parishes such as Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine and Webster.

This non-profit got its start in Many, Louisiana in the 1980s and began serving the people of its area. Northwest Louisiana was being serviced by the Providence House.

In 2012, the Providence house shifted its help towards homelessness in Northwest Louisiana. This shift left the area without any source of aid for advocacy in sexual assault and domestic violence.

"I was here when Providence House had a sexual assault program," said Angela Henderson, Assistant Executive Director for PCI.  "They did away with it, and then there was nothing."

This left Northwest Louisiana without any source of sexual assault programs and PCI embarked on a journey to move north. Now PCI has been serving Northwest Louisiana for over a decade.

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The women behind PCI

The work at PCI is only accomplished through dedication and heart of the women who work there.

"We just want to help any survivor of domestic violence and sexual violence know that they are worthy of living a life free from violence, that we believe them and we're here to help them," said Henderson.

Angela Henderson- Assistant Executive Director of PCI

Henderson has always had a heart for serving. After she graduated college with a psychology degree she went on to work at CHRISTUS Schumpert doing heart telemetry.

"I would monitor every heart patient in the hospital," said Henderson. "I got to learn every facet of the heart but I was unfulfilled."

This unfulfillment lead Henderson on a journey that would forever change her life.

After church one Sunday Henderson asked God what he wanted her to do. She took a phone book out and randomly pointed to the YWCA.

Knowing that she would get the job Henderson was ready to embark on a journey of working with kids but was surprised when she was taken into the domestic violence shelter.

"I didn't know it was a domestic violence shelter, they gave me a packet of stuff to go home and read," said Henderson. " I knew I was going to get the job. I knew the Lord was gonna be faithful."

Henderson got the job and worked as an advocate at YWCA until they closed in 2010 due to insufficient funds. She would then go to work with the forensic nurses as an advocate until 2012 when PCI moved to Northwest Louisiana.

Since 2012, Henderson has been at PCI serving the people of Northwest Louisiana. During her time she has built a strong group of women that are furthering their reach for advocacy.

"It found me," said Henderson.

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De'Nita Washington-  Sexual Assault Educator Prevention Coordinator

"You don't just end up at PCI, or in this line of work," said Washington. "Anyone who is led here, it's because you have a purpose to be here."

Washington was working in the medical field when she stumbled into PCI. During grad school Washington began an internship at PCI, this internship grew into a desire to help others.

"I never thought of it (sexual assault) to be an aspect of public health. But it's such a huge factor of what public health is because it affects the community," said Washington.

Upon completion of her internship, Washington began rethinking her future path and wanted to embark on a career in sexual assault advocacy. In Aug. 2021 Washington joined the PCI team and has been there since making impacts on lives in our community and beyond.

Washington is the host of Teal Talks which is a podcast that can be found on Apple Music and Spotify. This podcast is a place where she can discuss social norms that are harmful and promote sexual violence within our community.

The podcast is just a portion of what Washington is doing to promote education around sexual assault, she also speaks at friendship houses and is teaching the youth.

Washington said, "this is definitely purposeful work."

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Aslan Godfrey- Sexual Assault Outreach Advocate

Godfrey is there to meet the victim where they are literally and figuratively, she said "we meet them, give them their options, walk them through the process."

But, how did this recent college graduate learn about advocacy?

Godfrey said she was in her senior year of undergrad and during class one day they went around the room telling an interesting fact when a girl from the back said she was a sexual assault advocate.

"I thought about it the entire rest of the class," said Godfrey. The girl was able to direct Godfrey to Henderson and that is when her journey began.

Through the remainder of her senior year, Godfrey worked at PCI and upon graduation, in Dec. 2021 she began working full time.

"It's hard work, but it's also heart work," said Godfrey. "Without doing the work and putting your heart into the work, you really aren't doing the work. I feel like the work we do is good and rewarding."

To learn more about this local non-profit, check out www.projectcelebration.com.

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Northwest Louisiana group helps domestic violence, sexual assault victims