October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), and the City of Toledo and its community partners are excited to announce the inaugural Breaking the Cycle of Violence Summit.

This year’s summit theme is “Red Flags & Real Talk: Youth and Professionals Raising the Standards for Safe Communities."

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About the Event

Teen dating and domestic violence are pervasive issues that affect every aspect of a young person’s well-being and resonate throughout the community, impacting educational, workforce, and health outcomes. Regardless of the work sectors involved, we all play a role in ensuring a healthy and safe environment for youth to thrive in Toledo.

This one-day training conference is designed for youth, professionals, and community leaders, providing practical skills and knowledge to combat gender-based and teen dating violence. Training topics include, but are not limited to:

• Resilience building after trauma
• Emerging therapeutic interventions to support healing.
• Recognizing warning signs and the lethal risks of strangulation
• Intimate partner violence in vulnerable populations
• The hidden realities of human trafficking.
• The impact of domestic violence and generational trauma
• Housing insecurity and youth exposure to violence on community safety and well-being.
• Tools to elevate professional standards, enhance prevention efforts, and create safer, more resilient communities.

Keynote Speaker

Kaila Adia Story, Ph D is a full professor in the Departments of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Pan-African Studies, as well as the Audre ‪Lorde Endowed Chair at the University of Louisville. She is the author of The Rainbow Ain’t Never Been Enuf: On the Myth of LGBTQ+ Solidarity (Beacon Press 2025) and Patricia Hill Collins: Reconceiving Motherhood (Demeter Press, 2014). She is also the co-creator, co-producer, and cohost of Louisville Public Media's “Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture, and Black Gay Life,” a popular award-winning, 8 year running podcast. Her research examines the intersections of race and sexuality, with special attention to Black Feminism, Black Lesbians, and Black Queer identity. Dr. Story was named as an LGBTQ+ community leader and change maker as a part of NBC’s inaugural #Pride30, as well as and recently, Dr. Story was chosen as the 2022 Champion of Pride for the state of Kentucky by The Advocate. Dr. Story has also received recognition from Michelle Obama's non-profit organization, Reach Higher for creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students in and out of higher education.

Agenda

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Welcome & Introductions

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Session I

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Break

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Session II

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
Lunch and Keynote Address

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Session III

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Networking

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