Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse

10/15/2026

Healing takes many forms, and sometimes it walks on four paws. 🐶🐾

This Saturday, Footsteps for Healing 2026 will bring together survivors, advocates, families, and community partners for a morning of remembrance, healing, love, and connection.

And we don't want our four-legged friends to miss out! Whether they're walking alongside us, offering a little extra comfort, or simply bringing smiles to those around them, our furry companions have a special way of reminding us of the love, joy, and connection that can be found in community.

So grab your walking shoes, bring your favorite furry friend, and join us as we take meaningful steps toward healing, together!

🐾 Friendly reminder: All pets must remain leashed at all times during the event to help ensure a safe and welcoming experience for everyone.

Two feet or four paws, there's a place for you at Footsteps for Healing! 💜

10/14/2026

Some lives leave a legacy that continues to inspire love, compassion, and change long after they are gone.

Rosaura Barbosa was just 18 years old when her life was taken by domestic violence, but her life was so much more than how it ended. She was a young woman with a bright smile, a generous heart, and dreams for her future. Her kindness and compassion touched the lives of many, and her legacy continues through the love and advocacy of her parents, April and Joe Barbosa, founders of Rosaura's Legacy.

This week, as part of our “Every Story Matters. Every Life Leaves a Legacy” series, we invite you to hear Rosaura’s story through her parents’ voices.

April and Joe share memories of their daughter, the grief they continue to carry, and how they are honoring her life through advocacy, survivor support, and creating space for grieving fathers. They also share an important message about the dangers that can arise when ending a relationship, even when there has been no previous physical violence.

Alongside the video, April and Joe have shared written reflections offering a deeper look into their experiences, the importance of safety, and making room for grief: https://conta.cc/4yp5Gab

This Saturday, October 17, April and Joe will join us as special speakers at Footsteps for Healing 2026, where shirts they created in Rosaura’s honor will be displayed as part of the Clothesline Project. Register for free: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/footstepsforhealing26/

We invite you to bear witness. Listen to their story, honor Rosaura’s life, and reflect on how we can collectively support survivors, families, and a future free from violence.

As you listen, honor what you need. These stories address domestic abuse, death, loss, and grief. Some details may be difficult to hear or read.

10/12/2026

Join us this Saturday at Reid Park for Footsteps for Healing 2026, a community walk to honor survivors, remember loved ones lost to violence, and spread hope throughout our community.

Each step we take is an opportunity to honor survivor stories, strengthen our connections, and affirm our collective commitment to healing, accountability, and a future free from violence.

And there's so much to look forward to! This year's event will feature:

💜 Special performances by Esperanza Dance Project and Desert Voices.
💜 Fun activities for kids, including games and face painting.
💜 Prize raffles throughout the events!

Whether you're walking in honor of someone you love, showing your support for survivors, or joining us with family and friends, there's a place for you at Footsteps for Healing 2026.

Bring your loved ones, invite your friends, and join us for a morning of remembrance, connection, and community.

A special thanks to our corporate partners, Tucson Water, Sunset Embroidery and Screen Print, 975 The Vibe, KiiM FM, and KHIT 107.5, for walking alongside us and helping bring our community together in support of survivors, families and healing.

Presented By: Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, Indivisible Tohono, Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona, Tucson Juneteenth Festival, Consulado de México en Tucson, the City of Tucson Community Safety program, and Mayor Regina Romero.

Register today and join us as we walk toward healing, together.
https://emergecenter.org/events-and.../footstepsforhealing/

10/10/2026

10/10/2026

Stop by Sam’s Club and come say hi! We are collecting starting-over supplies to support DV survivors. Any houseware and toiletries items are welcome as well as toys and other items for children and teens. Hope to see you here!

10/09/2026

Tomorrow, Saturday, October 10, we’re heading to Sam’s Club, and we are inviting our community to come together to help collect essential supplies for survivors and families participating in Emerge's programs!

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, stop by and donate NEW starting-over supplies, including kitchenware, clothing, toys, household essentials, Halloween costumes, and more!

Domestic abuse is a community issue, and this collective drive is one way each of us can show up. Together, we can help ensure survivors and families have access to everyday essentials as they move toward safety, healing, and new beginnings.

We hope to see you tomorrow, Tucson!

10/03/2026

What does starting over look like?

Sometimes, it looks like pots and pans for a new kitchen. Clothing for a family who had to leave belongings behind. A toy that brings comfort to a child. Or even a Halloween costume that allows a young person to simply experience the joy of being a kid.

This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, you can help provide some of those everyday moments by joining us for Stuff the Bus on Saturday, October 10 at Sam’s Club.

We’re collecting NEW and unexpired starting-over supplies, including kitchenware, clothing, toys, household items, Halloween costumes, and more.

Leaving an abusive relationship can mean rebuilding many parts of life. Survivors bring the strength. Our community can help make sure they don't have to rebuild alone.

Can’t join us in person or want to see what items are most needed? Visit the link below to view our full wish list or support our Virtual Stuff the Bus and have items sent directly to Emerge.

View the wish list or shop virtually: https://emergecenter.org/events-and-news/stuffthebus/

10/01/2026

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

This year, Emerge is recognizing DVAM with a simple but powerful truth: Every Story Matters. Every Life Leaves a Legacy.

Throughout October, we will honor survivors, remember loved ones whose lives were taken by domestic violence, and uplift the stories that can move all of us toward healing, accountability, and a future free from violence.

In the weeks ahead, survivors and families will generously share pieces of their stories with us. Stories of survival. Stories of love and loss. Stories of healing, remembrance, courage, and hope.

We invite our community to bear witness with us.

🌵 To listen without judgment.
💜 To honor the lives and experiences being shared.
🦋 To remember those who should still be here.
🤝 And to consider the responsibility each of us carries in creating a safer community.

This October, may we make space for every story and honor every legacy. Together, may we listen, learn, remember, and continue moving toward a future where everyone can live free from violence.

💌 And don’t miss a story. Make sure you’re signed up to have each story delivered directly to your inbox and join us in listening, honoring, remembering, and bearing witness.

There are also many ways to show up for survivors throughout :

🚌 October 10 | Stuff the Bus
Help us collect starting-over supplies for survivors and families in Emerge programs.

👟 October 17 | Footsteps for Healing
Walk alongside survivors, families, and our community as we come together in remembrance, healing, and hope.

💜 October 22 | Wear Purple Day
Help by wearing purple in solidarity with survivors and help bring greater visibility to domestic violence.

There are many ways to show up this October, and each one reminds survivors that they are surrounded by a community committed to safety, healing, and change.

09/30/2026

We have heard from community members about racist comments circulating online that have been attributed to an Emerge employee. We want to acknowledge the harm and clearly correct the mistaken association.

The person who made these racist comments shares the same name as an Emerge employee, but they are not the same person. The individual responsible for the comments is not employed by or affiliated with Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse, and our employee’s information has been mistakenly shared as belonging to that individual. Our employee is a Black woman who did not make these comments, and we are concerned about the impact on her safety and well-being.

The comments are racist, dehumanizing, and unacceptable. They echo a long history of anti-Black racism and racial violence in this country and in our own communities. Black women experience the intersecting harms of racism and sexism, including having their humanity attacked, their pain dismissed, and their safety disregarded. The hurt, anger, and concern expressed in response deserve to be taken seriously.

To Ana, and to Black community members affected by these words: your humanity, dignity, and safety matter. We stand with you against anti-Blackness and racial violence.

Emerge is committed to being a multicultural, anti-racist organization. Our values of Love, Safety, Responsibility & Repair, and Liberation call us to challenge racism, listen to Black survivors and communities, and examine how we put those commitments into practice. This includes addressing barriers to safety within our services and the systems around us.

We understand why community members have reached out. Please direct questions about this statement to our social media inbox so our hotline remains available to survivors and loved ones seeking support related to domestic abuse.

Building a community where everyone can experience safety requires confronting racism, taking the harm seriously, and working together to prevent further harm.

https://emergecenter.org/2026/09/30/93026/

We have heard from community members about racist comments circulating online that have been attributed to an Emerge employee. We want to acknowledge the harm and clearly correct the mistaken association.

09/16/2026

Don’t forget to stop by the Walmart at Speedway & Kolb this Saturday, September 19, and help us stuff a Sun Tran bus with NEW essential items for survivors and families participating in Emerge’s programs!

We’ll be there from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., ready to fill the bus with generosity and community love. Every donation helps ensure survivors and their families have access to the everyday essentials they need as they move toward safety and healing.

Can’t make it in person? You can still join us! Our Virtual Stuff the Bus is available for anyone who would like to support from wherever they are: emergecenter.org/stuff-the-bus