WEST PALM BEACH, FL. (February 27, 2017) – The Armory Art Center will host The Art of the Phoenix Luncheon: Hope and Healing Through Art at Club Colette, Palm Beach on March 14, 2017 at 12 Noon.
Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino is the emcee and the featured speaker is Bonnie Jo Daniels, Project Director for Hope for Freedom. Bonnie Jo Daniels works with the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches. She is a community relations specialist, trained in the field of domestic minor sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children.
The Armory has developed The Art of the Phoenix, a program for girls ages 12 through 17 who have been victims of human trafficking—to help heal and restore their self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth.
The Art of the Phoenix is an Armory Art Center outreach program produced in partnership with the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches, which raises awareness, builds partnerships, and brings hope and restoration to victims of human trafficking, our modern day slavery.
Sex trafficking is a crime when women, men, and children are forcefully involved in commercial sex acts. In the United States any minor under the age of 18 engaged in commercial sex acts is automatically considered a victim of sex trafficking under the law.
Palm Beach County ranks as the 3rd highest in Florida with incidents of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline for suspected cases of human trafficking.
The Art of the Phoenix offers therapeutic art classes taught by Armory instructors along with an art therapist to aid in the recovery of teens who are victims of human trafficking. Through art therapy, survivors can increase their self-esteem, facilitate the ability to express and label emotions, decrease maladaptive coping skills, provide a forum for exploring feelings, provide a sense of autonomy, help identify personal growth goals, reduce anxiety, and develop a sense of empowerment through the making of art.
Mark Walnock, Director of Ceramics at the Armory Art Center attests to the success of the program. “One assignment called for the students to sculpt a shoe. We used their actual feet to cut an initial footprint in the clay so that each shape began as distinctly theirs. From there the shoe could take any form. It spoke as to where they’ve been, where they are, and most importantly where and who they dream to be. As their final project, this clearly defined the positive progression each individual made both in their technical skill as well as their outlook for the future.”
The Art of the Phoenix Luncheon: Hope and Healing Through Art Featuring Bonnie Jo Daniels, Project Director-Hope for Freedom
Introduced by Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post Columnist
Club Colette, Palm Beach
March 14,2017 at 12 Noon
To Hope. To Heal. And Have Survived.
Individual Tickets: $350 per person. Sponsorship opportunities available.
561.832.1776 | www.armoryart.org/phoenix-luncheon
To learn more about how to support the Armory Art Center and The Art of the Phoenix program contact Ellen Vaughan, Chief of Development at the Armory Art Center at
(561) 832-1776 ex. 100 or ellen.vaughan@armoryart.org
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The mission of the Armory Art Center is to inspire the creation and experience of art. The Armory’s vision is to be the leading visual arts education and exhibition center of the Palm Beaches. Housed in an historic art deco building, the Armory provides art classes for students of all ages, exhibitions, art salons, lectures, and special events. Twelve exhibitions are hosted annually in three galleries. Nearly 100 courses held in 12 state-of-the-art studios are offered including ceramics, digital arts, drawing, glass fusing, jewelry, painting, printmaking, fibers, sculpture, and more. For more information, visit www.armoryart.org or call 561-832-1776.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is one of Florida’s largest community foundations, an organization created with gifts from generous people committed to local causes. The nonprofit organization has provided nearly $129 million in grants and scholarships over its 44-year history. For donors, the Foundation serves as a philanthropic advisor and ensures the charitable dollars entrusted to it are available to the community—forever. For the community, the Foundation serves as a grant maker and a civic leader. Through the support of its donors and fund holders, the Foundation has been able to address some of the community’s most pressing needs, including hunger, housing and education. For more information, please visit www.yourcommunityfoundation.org or call (561) 659-6800.
