National Conference on Ending Violence Against Women Takes Center Stage in Nashville Sept. 9 and 10

   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 18, 2019) – YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee will host the first ever national conference on violence against women and healthy masculinity Sept. 9 and 10 in Nashville. Keynote and featured speakers include Time Magazine’s 2017 Person of the Year and Silence Breaker, Terry Crews, actor and former NFL star Eddie George, survivor and activist Brenda Tracy, and Alejandra Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA.“SHIFT: An AMEND Together Conference,” is a 2-day conference to confront the crisis of violence against women. AMEND Together, a program of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee is dedicated to ending violence against women and girls by engaging men and boys to change the culture that supports violence. The conference is supported by Vanderbilt University’s Sports and Society and YWCA USA.According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. One in four women and one in nine men will experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking. The Nashville-based affiliate of YWCA USA has spent years developing and implementing AMEND Together, a unique, community-based violence prevention initiative.“When discussing domestic and sexual violence, the emphasis is typically put on ways that women can escape those situations. AMEND Together shifts the culture by educating boys and men on behavioral changes that can prevent domestic violence incidents before they start,” said Shan Foster, YWCA VP of External Affairs and AMEND Together. “The SHIFT Conference is the first of its kind and puts the growing issue of gender-based violence on the national stage.”Foster is a former NBA player and collegiate standout and was named the SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. He has led YWCA’s AMEND Together program since joining the organization in 2015 and has trained thousands of youth, student-athletes, faith-based and business leaders in Nashville and across the country.The SHIFT Conference will welcome attendees from all over the country, representing college athletic departments, youth-serving nonprofits, YWCA’s, domestic violence organizations, law enforcement, victim’s advocates, religious institutions, and more.Early registration for the conference ends Aug. 9, and full event details can be found here. For more information about SHIFT: An AMEND Together Conference, visit http://bit.ly/ywcashift.About YWCA Nashville & Middle TennesseeFor 120 years, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee has helped women, girls and families in Nashville and Middle Tennessee build safer, more self-sufficient lives. YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Programs include Domestic Violence Services, Girls Inc., AMEND Together, Dress for Success Nashville and the Family Learning Center. For more information, visit www.ywcanashville.com and follow us on Twitter @YWCANashville, Instagram @YWCANashville and Facebook at facebook.com/YWCANashville.###