Latest news with #LACASA
CBS News
09-05-2025
- CBS News
Michigan nonprofit remembers missing and murdered Indigenous women with red dress display
Red dresses on the LACASA Center's campus in Howell, Michigan, serve as a reminder of the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls who advocates say often never see justice. Across the country, Indigenous women experience murder, assault and disappearances at nearly 10 times the national average, according to Mona Shand, who works with LACASA. "The challenges of solving these cases, you're dealing with a really complicated mix of local, federal, tribal jurisdictions, so it's hard to even prosecute these cases and move them forward," said Shand. She said the dresses in the haunting display represent someone who is no longer with us. "It symbolizes a life that was take too soon, a family that was shattered and a community in grief," she said. The color matters, too," she said. "There are certain indigenous cultures that believe that red is the only color that spirits can see, so the red dresses really pay tribute to the lives that are no longer here, but the spirits they believe are still with us." Shand said raising awareness this month goes hand-in-hand with LACASA's larger mission to prevent and address domestic violence and abuse. "We thought this was an amazing opportunity to use our facility and to use our platform to speak on behalf of those who have been silenced," she said. The red dresses on display come from LACASA's collection, a resale shop whose proceeds help fund the organization. Shand said they hope to make the display even larger in the years to come. "We have more red dresses; we just don't have enough of those hooks," she said. "In the future, we want to expand this and have red dresses through the trees on our property, all around us. We just think it makes a really powerful visual impact."
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Mid-Michigan spreads sexual assault awareness on Denim Day
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Mid-Michigan communities are showing their support for survivors of sexual assault by wearing denim. Denim Day is an annual event that occurs each year on April 30, which seeks to spread awareness about sexual assault and why some victims may hesitate to come forward. LACASA, a center for child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault based in Livingston County, encourages those in the community to participate by engaging in conversations about consent, victim blaming, and supporting survivors. Denim Day began after a Italian Supreme Court ruling in the 1998 overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing tight jeans, implying this meant she had consented. LACASA says this sparked outrage and led to the global movement of wearing denim as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions surrounding sexual assault. The City of East Lansing says any city participating in Denim Day will contribute a $5 to the . These donations go directly to help survivors address a variety of financial needs such as medical bills, changing locks, personal protection orders and relocation expenses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Cinderella's Closet makes prom affordable for Livingston County students
Every high school student deserves to feel like a Disney princess or prince on prom night. You too can support Cinderella's Closet, a great cause, at the Tanger Outlets mall in Howell. On Saturday, Andrea Bachelor was searching for the perfect dress for prom at Cinderella's Closet. "My friends thought it'd be fun to go dress shopping, and we heard that it goes back to LACASA (Livingston Area Council Against Spousal Abuse), and so we thought it would be a good way to give back to our community," Bachelor said. She found the one for just $25. And it's a perfect match to the necklace given to her by her grandmother. "She passed away earlier this year, so I wanted to kind of commemorate her in my prom look," Bachelor said. All proceeds from Cinderella's Closet benefit the nonprofit LACASA. We serve survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. All of our services are 100% free and confidential," said Sarah Lewis, director of social change advocacy at LACASA. The gowns have been donated by the community. "Anyone that wants to come in, bring a dress, bring a suit. We take them all year round at the collection," Lewis said. The pop-up is hosted in the fall for homecoming and in the spring for prom. "There's a couple family members of mine that actually have been with LACASA before I was even born," said volunteer Lauren Keesler. "I've been pretty much coming here ever since, volunteer or not, because I love the community here and how hard they put this event together for the youth." While prom is exciting, and shopping for the right dress is a fun experience, this boutique is also about empowerment. "Teen dating violence and sexual assault impact the community, and so when they can put a kind of a face to the name of LACASA, they might be more likely to come in if they need that help," Lewis said. There is still time to shop at Cinderella's Closet. The boutique will close on Sunday, March 9. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
