A Birthday Party

Donations from tonight's
event benefit YWCA NENY's
teen and youth violence
prevention programs

At YWCA NorthEastern NY, we are committed to looking at domestic
violence through multiple valuable perspectives and, at the same time,
uplifting immigrant communities and their stories. This film was chosen
to illustrate the intersection of identity, culture, and the preservation of
cultural norms. It addresses the effects of a dominant culture on tradition
and it is our hope that participants walk away with a wider understanding
which enhances their cultural lens and challenges them to consider
monolithic thought on this subject. Our ultimate goal is creation of a
multidimensional lens to a global perspective that allows for thought-
provoking conversation and leads to true allyship.

Yours in Solidarity,

Kim Siciliano, YWCA NENY CEO

Since its beginnings in 1888, YWCA NorthEastern NY has served women and families in
Schenectady and the surrounding region. Throughout its 134-year history, YWCA NENY has
been a constant innovator in providing programs and services to meet the changing needs
of the community. Annually, YWCA NENY serves nearly 7,000 individuals and families from
throughout the Capital Region.

The main program services areas of YWCA NorthEastern NY are:
Domestic Violence Programs, which include a shelter, 24-hour hotline, advocacy,
counseling, and the DV holiday assistance program;
Housing Program: Single Room Occupancy, Rapid Rehousing, and Supportive Housing
Program
Economic Empowerment Programs - economic empowerment initiatives designed to
assist domestic violence victims and homeless/formerly homeless women in obtaining
employment, education, and financial stability.
YW Strive - Free Professional Deveoplment Program
Early Learning Program - two licensed and accredited Early Learning Centers for
children from six weeks to five years of age.
Teen and Youth Programs - designed to help the youth in our communities work on
building confidence and self-esteem, learn the signs of healthy vs unhealthy
relationships, have discussions around mental health challenges, work on finding their
voice, and promote self-discovery and expression.

Welcome....................................Kim Siciliano, CEO
YWCA NENY

Film Screening...........................Presented by
YWCA NENY

Interview with
Director, Victoria
Thomas.......................................Charlene Holmes, MPS

YWCA NENY

Panel Discussion.........................Dr. Steady Moono
Veronica Keitt
Sarah Caterina
Anzala Alozie
Dr. Sophia George

Q&A..............................................Ushers

Call to Action & Closing...............Panelists

Sponsored By:

About the Director – Victoria Thomas
Victoria Thomas is a Scotland-based
filmmaker of Sierra Leonean/Nigerian
descent. She started out as a Producer
of shorts and indie features and is now
developing work as a Writer/Director.
Recent projects include producing and
directing the African Queens series for
Netflix, Executive Produced by Jada
Pinkett Smith.
She is in advanced development on her
debut fiction feature, Street Food,
selected for Film London’s Production
Finance Market 2019 and nominated by PFM for the Apulia Film Forum
2019, EIFF for IFP Week 2020, EAVE 2019/2020, and one of the winners
of the 2002 Meryl Streep/Nicole Kidman supported Writers Lab NYC.
She is in post-production on the Screen Scotland-backed documentary
Born In New York, Raised In Paris which chronicles the role of hip hop,
in empowering disenfranchised black and Arab youths, in France, to
highlight and protest police brutality.
Alongside filmmaking, she is the Course Director of the MA
International Film Business program at London Film School.

“Female Genital Mutilation is on the decline in Africa but on the rise in
Europe. Because we citizens of the diaspora, often feel marginalized in
our western homes and long for a sense of belonging and community.
And the alienation that comes with not having one can be tasking for
some. But what happens when the price of belonging is damaging to
those we love?
My protagonists, twin sisters, Aisha and Fatima, must choose between
their close relationship and community, when the time becomes right, as
tradition dictates, to circumcise the daughter of one as a customary and
prideful right of passage.” - Victoria Thomas

Meet the Panelists
Dr. Steady Moono was appointed by the SUNY Board of Trustees as the
7th president of SUNY Schenectady County Community College in May
2015. He took office in July 2015 with more than 20 years as a leader in
higher education. Before coming to SUNY Schenectady, he served as
Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of the West Campus at
Montgomery County Community College in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
Prior, Dr. Moono was the Vice President for Student Affairs at
Montgomery County Community College for six years and Dean of
Student Affairs for one year. Dr. Moono began his community college
career as a faculty member at Pinebrook Junior College and has held adjunct faculty
appointments at Temple University, Immaculata University, and Montgomery County
Community College. Additionally, Dr. Moono’s career also includes positions as the Assistant
Dean for Student Development and Director of Adult & Multicultural Student Services at
Bucks County Community College and was an experienced senior administrator at a
Pennsylvania Private Academy.
Dr. Moono knows firsthand the challenges he experienced as a young lost African boy
struggling to make it work at a U.S. college. The two mentors that Dr. Moono found helped
him feel at home. This experience helped shaped his educational philosophies which led to
his nationally recognized mentoring program for minority students at Montgomery County
Community College and now at SUNY Schenectady. His work to establish the Minority Male
Mentoring Program has been widely recognized and has been a recipient of many prestigious
awards. Yaffe-Smith Civil Rights Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Education and
was named “Outstanding First Year Student Advocate” by the National Resource Center. He
was awarded the 2011 Innovation of the Year Award at Montgomery County Community
College. In 2017, he was recognized and honored by the Schenectady County Human Rights
Commission for outstanding service and contribution to the cause of Human Rights in
Schenectady County, NY. In 2018, he received the MWAPE AWARD, established in 2010 by
Ruth and James Mwape, of New Jersey and is a non-profit initiative by providing a platform
to recognize those individuals who, without the benefit of visibility or influence, made a
difference through their creativity, energy and sheer tenacity; and the Human Rights
Commission Award in recognition for his mentoring work. In 2020, he was awarded the
Educator of the Year by the Zambian Association Network of the United States. In 2021, he
received the Distinguished Educator Award from ZLA and AZA Associations, Shifting
Mindsets.
Dr. Moono’s role in community engagement and service to the community at the local,
regional, and national levels is noteworthy. Locally, he serves on the WHMT Board,
Schenectady County MLK Coalition, Schenectady County Human Rights Commission,
Schenectady City Police Reform Commission, and the Schenectady Foundation Appointing
Authority.
Dr. Moono has earned a B.A. in Education from Messiah College, an M.A. in Counseling and
Theology from the Biblical Theological Seminary, an M.A. in English from Arcadia University,
and a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Immaculata University.
Dr. Moono and his wife Kelly, have a son, Micah, and a daughter, Naomi. He and his wife are
deeply involved in a non-profit project in Zambia.

Meet the Panelists

Veronica Keitt is the founder of The People's Film Festival (TPFF)
which is a 3-Day annual film festival designed to showcase the best
in independent films from around the world. It was founded in 2012,
with the goal to establish TPFF as “The Voice of 'The People"—
essentially the place to tell your story your way and have a true
impact on that audience. TPFF is an initiative of The People’s Media,
Music & Arts Foundation Inc. (TPMMAF)— a non-profit organization

whose objective is to promote awareness in independent film, media, music, and art
across the globe while encouraging those—particularly in the Harlem New York area, to
develop a greater appreciation and understanding of cultural diversity in film.
Veronica has a background in law enforcement in which she earned her Bachelor's and
Master's degree in Criminal Justice and Public Administration from John Jay College of
Criminal Justice. However, her background in media spans over 25 years as an
independent Television Director, Producer, and Editor. She is also a filmmaker which
she has directed, written, and produced several cutting-edge documentaries

Anzala B. Alozie is a social impact strategist and changemaker. Her
work centers a social justice framework and systemic change. She is
a recognized leader on women and girls’ empowerment, leadership
development, anti-violence against women, and diversity, equity &
inclusion. Anzala’s expertise includes organizational development
and management, strategic planning, systemic change, strategic
partnerships, and transformational leadership. Anzala is the
executive director of the national Women of Color Network, Inc., an
organization dedicated to ending violence against all women by amplifying the voices &
needs of women of color survivors of intimate partner violence. The organization also
centers on supporting women of color advocates & leaders by providing career and
leadership opportunities.
Anzala's prior experience includes serving as executive director with the
Capital District YMCA, vice president of Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York and has
worked with prominent social change organizations such as the New York State
Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Empire Justice Center serving immigrant
survivors with VAWA petitions. Anzala presents leadership development &
empowerment workshops across the nation. Anzala is a trainer consultant with the
McLean Group and DEI faculty member for the New York State School Board Association.
She is a board member of Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, a member of the New
York State Education Department's Working Group on Girls of Color, serves on the
KeyBank Advisory Council, and is a member of Chief. Anzala B. Alozie is a proud member
of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America. Anzala is a graduate of
Albany Law School of Union University and Purchase College.

Meet the Panelists

Dr. Sophia George is an Associate Professor in the Division of
Gynecological Oncology within the Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology and the Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion at the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. In addition,
she is a member of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. George was born and raised in Dominica and moved to Canada,
where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Honors
from Laurentian University and later her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics
(with sub-specialization in Developmental Biology) from the
University of Toronto.
Her first post-doctoral training (at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center, within the
Ontario Cancer Institute) focused on molecular pathology and her second post-doc (at
Duke University) focused on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC).
She has been a part of the faculty at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
since 2015. In her lab, she studies the pathogenesis of sporadic and hereditary breast,
ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Dr. George’s team uses molecular genetics,
epigenetics, and transcriptomics to study the disease pathogenesis and overall
outcomes of women diagnosed with these diseases. They also look very closely at DNA
damage response (homologous recombination deficiency) and the enzymes and
pathways responsible for sensing xenobiotics in women’s cancers.
Given that Black women with breast and ovarian cancers have inferior outcomes when
compared to women of other racial groups, and understanding that there is a void in the
research when it comes to studying Black women’s cancers, one of the main goals of Dr.
George’s research has been to understand why Black women are prone to getting more
aggressive cancer sub-types and how/why their responses to treatment differ from
those of non-Black women. Dr. George is currently part of a multi-disciplinary team who
studies the incidence of HBOC mutations in Afro-Caribbean nationals. She is also a co-
Leader of the women’s cancer working group in the African Caribbean Cancer
Consortium (AC3) and co-Principal Investigator of the Transatlantic Gynecologic Cancer
Consortium (TAGCRec).
Dr. George hopes that by better understanding the biology of cancer initiation and
pathogenesis in Black women, we will be able to craft superior strategies for cancer
prevention, early detection, and treatment optimization.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Sponsors:

Meet the Panelists

Sarah Caterina graduated with her Masters in Social Work from New
York University in 1999. She is attending the PhD Program in Social
Work at the University of Albany. She has dedicated her life to
working in the field with children and families for over 20 years. She
oversees counseling and violence prevention programs at YWCA
NorthEastern NY, located in Schenectady, NY. She has a teenage
daughter and a son, who both inspire her to create a better world for
them.
In 2019, Sarah received the Heart of Her Award for her dedication to Help Save The Next
Girl, is an organization that focuses on raising awareness around predatory behavior
and empowering girls to trust their instincts and stick up for each other. She has had a
hand in starting over 100 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Most recently, Sarah and her
teenage daughter started chapters at Union College and the Boys and Girls Club.
Sarah is extremely passionate about the work she does in the world and has worked to
raise awareness and support survivors of human trafficking domestically and abroad.
She has extensive experience volunteering in developing countries including Puerto
Rico, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mexico, and the Dominican
Republic. In 2017, she and her family volunteered with “Believe in Girls, Empowering
Girls in Africa” and brought supplies to make reusable and sustainable maxi pads so that
girls could attend school when they were menstruating without feeling ashamed of their
body’s natural processes.

Thank you for your support!

Cast & Crew Writer/Director
Victoria Thomas
Fatima Executive Producer
Yusra Warsama Deva Smith
Aisha Director of Photography
Nahel Tzegai Tania Freimuth
Sukeina Composer
Shukri Hasan Roma Yagnik
Aunty Fatou Editor
Ellen Thomas Roberta Bononi
Dan Costume Designer
Clifford Samuel Robert MacFarlane
Casting Director
Hannah M Williams
Production Designer
Siam Colvine
Hair Stylist
Cynthia Gentle
Makeup Artist
Jak Morgan

Production Information

Run time: 12 minutes
Genre: Drama
Country: Scotland
Year of Production: 2021
Languages: English
Subtitle file: French, German
Tech Specs: 2.39:1/Color/Dolby 5.1
Screening Format: DCP

Starring

Yusra Warsama - Fatima

Yusra Warsama is an actress, writer. and theatre
practitioner. She began her theatre career at Contact,
Manchester, whilst studying Criminology and Sociology and
plays the role of Dr. Nadia Omar in season 2 of Castle Rock.
She is currently starring in Shane Meadows' drama The
Gallows Pole.

Nahel Tzegai - Aisha

Selected for BAFTA ELEVATE, Nahel Tzegai trained at the
Identity Drama School and has appeared in sitcom Sliced
(Dave), Miracle Workers (HBO) and is currently filming Sally
El Hosaini's The Swimmers.

Shukri Hasan - Sukeina

A recent graduate of the Identity Drama School, Shukri
Hasan made her screen debut in Beyonce's Black Is King. A
Birthday Party is her first live action short film.

Ellen Thomas – Aunty Fatou

Ellen Thomas is a Sierra Leonean-British actress, known for
her roles as Liz Webbe in the Channel 4 sitcom Teachers, the
BBC's soap opera EastEnders, In The Long Run, Death In
Paradise and Sky's Mount Pleasant

Clifford Samuel – Dan
Clifford Samuel is a British actor. Clifford Samuel began
acting at the Anna Scher Theatre. He is from North London
and born of Nigerian heritage. Clifford received critical
success and achieved an MTA award nomination for Best
Actor for the production of OBAMA THE MAMBA. He starred
in the 8 part AMC/BBC TV drama, MCMAFIA as a series
regular and can currently be seen in the BAFTA nominated
series SOON GONE: THE WINDRUSH CHRONICLES on BBC
iPlayer.

Donations from tonight's event benefit
YWCA NENY's teen and youth violence

prevention programs

Donations can be made online by visiting
ywca-neny.org/October

or scanning the QR code on your program card,
Venmo @ywcanortheasternny,

or cash donations can be made at the donation
boxes in the lobby.

JOIN US AT ANOTHER FUN EVENT
COMING SOON!

Proceeds benefit YWCA NENY's domestic violence support services

Annual Take Back the Night March
October 20th | 5:30PM | YWCA NorthEastern NY

Party with a Purpose with 518 Brews
October 21st | 5PM - 8 PM | Frog Alley Brewing

Women's Empowerment Resource Fair
November 9th | 3pm -7pm | YWCA NorthEastern NY

Visit ywca-neny.org/news-events/ for more
information on coming events