Miami-Dade County, Fl – One in four women are abused by a partner at some point in their lives. To help end this cycle of violence, women, children and even men who have been affected by domestic violence tell emotional stories of abuse and healing through artistically expressive T-shirts that hang on a makeshift clothesline known as the Verizon Wireless Clothesline Project. This candid display of art will be on display at the South Dade Regional Library, 10750 SW 211 Street, October 16–31. To welcome the Clothesline Project to Miami, a local domestic violence survivor along with other community leaders and members impacted by this devastating social issue will be on hand to discuss the destructive effects of domestic violence on the local community.

Clothesline Project viewers will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and emotions about the exhibit’s impact by writing in the Clothesline Project Diary, a traveling chronicle of viewer responses from throughout the state of Florida. In addition to hosting the Clothesline Project, the South Dade Regional Library will be collecting used and even broken cell phones for Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine® program, which refurbishes old phones for victims of domestic violence. By the end of 2006, Verizon Wireless collected more than 3.5 million phones and donated more than $3 million to local domestic violence agencies nationwide.

Media Contact:
Victoria Galan, Public Affairs Officer
Tel. 305.375.5180; galanv@mdpls.org

Vinora Hamilton, Public Information Officer
Tel. 305.375.3327; hamiltonv@mdpls.org