History

CL began in 1990 as a grassroots response to the realities of abused immigrant Latinas in Atlanta, serving as the first support group for Spanish speaking battered women in the state of Georgia. CL was originally a program of the outreach arm St. Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta that provided services to immigrant and homeless populations.

From its inception, however, the organization has been guided by the voice of the women we serve. CL initially provided childcare services so that the children had somewhere to go while women attended the program. At the women’s request, however, the organization developed a comprehensive children’s program by 1993 so that the children could also receive services to address the effects of the violence they witnessed at home. A few years later, the women raised another issue: no one was working with their partners, who were the people ultimately responsible for the abuse and with whom many women continued to live. By 1995, CL incorporated a 24-week, state-certified domestic violence program for men.

The women at CL ultimately shaped the organization into the comprehensive program it is today, modifying the program to address their needs more appropriately and comprehensively. CL’s evolution as a program also demonstrates its commitment to social justice; the organization’s use of a nonhierarchical approach allows participants to influence and shape the organization.