The Hoboken Free Public Library will host a panel discussion – “Shining the Light on Domestic Violence” – on Thursday Oct. 5 at 5 p.m.  A Q&A will follow the discussion.

Below please find some information about our program moderator and guest speakers.

La-Trenda Ross - Moderator

La-Trenda Ross is a locally recognized civic and community advocate, personal life coach, public and motivational speaker, and writer.

Her website is latrendasross.com

Lorien Castelle- Panelist

Lórien Castelle is the Director of Prevention New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV).

Lórien has worked to address gender-based violence for over two decades. She joined the team at the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV) in 1998 and split her time between NYSCADV and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence from 2011 through 2013 in order to launch a statewide prevention initiative in Pennsylvania. Ms. Castelle has the honor of working not only for NYSCADV, but with several national organizations across the United States including; as a trainer for the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health, consultant to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence creating an online resource PreventIPV: Tools for Social Change (preventipv.org,) a trainer and consultant to Major League Baseball (MLB) and as faculty for the Safe and Together Institute, promoting a domestic violence informed child welfare model internationally.

Melissa Ditmore, Ph.D. – Panelist

Melissa Ditmore, is a freelance consultant and author specializing in issues of gender, development, health and human rights, particularly as they relate to marginalized populations like sex workers, migrants, trafficked persons and people who use drugs.

Her previous books include:

Sex Work Matters (Zed 2010)

Prostitution and Sex Work (ABC-Clio's Historical Guides to Controversial Issues in America, 2011)

Encyclopedia of Prostitution and Sex Work (Greenwood, 2006)

Unbroken Chains: The Hidden Role of Human Trafficking in the American Economy (Beacon Press, 2023)

In addition to her own books, Melissa Hope Ditmore is a contributor to Trafficking and Prostitution Reconsidered (2005,) Affective Turn (2007,) Development with a Body (2008) and Sex for Sale (2nd edition, 2009.) She has written about sex work, migration and trafficking in The Lancet and SIECUS Report. She has spoken about prostitution, migration rights and research ethics at the United Nations, the International Conference on HIV/AIDS, Columbia University, Cornell University, Hong Kong City University and numerous academic and political conferences.

She holds a doctoral degree from the City University of New York. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow at National Development Research Institute in New York City. She is on the board of  Cooper Square Committee, (coopersquare.org) and an advisor to the Nawara Women’s Network for the Middle East and North Africa (nawara.org). 

Her website is http://www.encyclopediaofprostitution.com and https://melissaditmore.com/

Francesca Nicotra, Esq. – Panelist

Francesca Nicotra, has been a New Jersey & New York Attorney with over 30 years of experience. - Certified Mediator - Diversity Scholar, American Bar Association. - Member, National Council of Bar Presidents. - 21st Century Lawyer Committee Member, American Bar Association. - President, Hudson County Bar Association (2021 Term). Specialty in Family Divorce, Domestic Violence, Guardianships and Estate Administration.

Francesca has also been assigned as an Assistant County Counsel, Hudson County, Family Part - Domestic Violence Unit, 1992-Present. Serving Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken and the surrounding New Jersey and New York City Area.

Frances Nicotra, Esq. has unique insight in the family courts having handled assignments throughout her career on violations of domestic violence restraining order through the Hudson County Law Department, as well as having tried numerous cases on behalf of victims of domestic violence in their pursuit of obtaining a final domestic violence restraining orders.

You can visit her website at www.fnesqlaw.com

 

Registration is recommended but not mandatory. This program is for adults only.

For more information about library programs please visit hobokenlibrary.org

If you have questions or need assistance please email laura.knittel@hoboken.bccls.org