About
Photo by Jorden Keith
Deborah Santana is an author, business manager, and activist for peace and social justice. Her non-profit, Do A Little, serves women and girls in the areas of health, education, and happiness. With a passion to provide educational opportunities for girls and women, Ms. Santana collaborates with organizations that work to prevent and heal relationship and sexual violence, improve the lives of America's abused and neglected children, and a worldwide community of artists and allies who work for empowerment, opportunity, and visibility for women artists.
In 2005, she published her memoir: Space Between the Stars that told of her experiences growing up as a bi-racial child, and her coming of age.
Ms. Santana has produced five short documentary films, four with Emmy-award winning director Barbara Rick: Road to Ingwavuma, Girls of Daraja, School of My Dreams, and Powerful Beyond Measure. These films highlight the work of non-profit partners in South Africa, and the Daraja Academy, a free secondary boarding school for girls in Kenya.
She has served as a trustee for ANSA (Artists for a New South Africa), the Smithsonian Institution, is a member of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Advisory Committee and a longtime supporter of Marian Wright Edelman’s Children’s Defense Fund. Deborah is mother to three beloved adult children: Salvador Santana, a songwriter, band leader, and instrumental artist, Stella Santana, a singer/songwriter/performer, and Angelica Santana, a poet, archivist and film producer.
Ms. Santana holds a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Religion with a Concentration in Women’s Spirituality.
She is a leadership donor of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and a Lead Investor to the Courage Museum in San Francisco.
Domestic Violence
I had an abusive partner when I was 19. It shocked me that this person wanted to devalue me, but the experience gave me a strong intention to find my own power. One of my missions in life is to support anyone who is suffering from domestic violence. If you or anyone you know is involved in an abusive relationship, now is the time to take action. It could save a life. It is important to know that abuse is not your fault or the fault of anyone suffering from these deplorable actions. You can get out of it, even if you think you can’t.
God bless you on your journey.
Domestic violence can take many forms, with the most common types being physical violence, rape, stalking and emotional or psychological abuse. In the United States, domestic violence is commonly associated with cases of sexual assault, stalking, homicide, mental illness and suicide. The pervasiveness and complexity of domestic violence mean that anyone — regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion or social standing — can be affected by this kind of abuse at any point in their life.
Every minute, an average of 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). This equates to more than 10 million people per year. There may also be thousands of other victims of domestic violence who never report it or never get the chance to do so. Whether you suspect you are in an abusive relationship, or you know someone who is, finding the answer to your questions can help connect you to the help you need.
Courtesy of The Recovery Village
Flowers by Rebecca Louise Law