This Year's Key Speakers for Breakfast of Hope: 

DaShawn Brown is a seasoned reporter that has been a key member of the Eyewitness News team since December 2015. Before making her mark in Charlotte, DaShawn honed her reporting skills in Charleston, South Carolina, where she served as a Reporter and Weekend Morning Anchor. Hailing from nearby Johns Island, South Carolina, she covered some of the nation's most significant and heart-wrenching stories, including the Charleston church shooting, the tragic death of Walter Scott, and two presidential visits to the Palmetto State. With her unwavering commitment to storytelling and her roots firmly planted in the Carolinas, DaShawn Brown is a force in journalism, driven by a passion for truth and connection.

Spencer Merriweather, District Attorney for Mecklenburg County, NC, was appointed in 2017 and elected in 2018 and 2022 after over a decade as an Assistant District Attorney. He has focused on victim-centered responses, expanded restorative justice programs, and championed The Umbrella Center, a Family Justice Center opening in 2026. Merriweather earned his law degree from UNC Chapel Hill, his undergraduate degree from Princeton, and serves in leadership roles in several legal organizations. 

Sydney Giesey, MSW, LCSW-A, is a DV Counselor and Social Worker at Atrium Health's Domestic Violence Healthcare Project, where she has served for five years. With nearly a decade of experience in the field, she is passionate about supporting survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and those living with mental health disorders. Sydney is working towards becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and enjoys spending her free time with her husband, friends, family, and two dogs, Olivia and Kori. 

Dayanara, a high school freshman in Charlotte, has not let her past experiences define her. She spent five summers with Safe Alliance at Camp HOPE, an evidence-based camping and mentoring program that focuses on children and teens exposed to domestic violence and sexual assault. This past summer she also attended a marine biology camp at UNCW. With a passion for creativity, she's already secured $25K in college scholarships and is exploring future careers in cosmetology and architecture.  

Earlier this year, Safe Alliance contacted artist Elizabeth Palmisano to create artwork for the 2024 Breakfast of Hope marketing materials. As they discussed the possibilities, Elizabeth asked if Safe Alliance would be open to her facilitating an expressive arts workshop with their staff to inspire the work she would create.

In May 2024, Elizabeth Palmisano met with Safe Alliance staff for an expressive arts workshop. As staff participated in collaborative mark-making, Elizabeth led a discussion, asking questions like" What is the best part of your job?" and "What do you wish the public knew about the work that you do?"  Compassion and empathy are two words that came up several times during the discussion. At the end of the workshop, Elizabeth asked each staff member to write down a wish--something they desired for themselves. 

This collaboration resulted in 12 miniature pieces of art. Elizabeth took these 12 pieces and the wishes back to her studio and created this piece, Compassion in Bloom. 

Elizabeth created this intuitive piece by drawing inspiration from the conversation and imagery from the collaborative workshop pieces. She wrote staff wishes on the canvas between each layer of paint and collaged parts of the workshop art onto the final layer. Upon its completion, she was struck by the presence of lotus-like flowers in the composition, a poignant reminder of the Safe Alliance logo's symbolism. 

Website: ellafaeart.com
Facebook and Instagram: @ellafaeart

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