We The Builders
A Reflection by Patti Giggans
Fifty-five years ago, in 1971, a foundational brick was laid by a small, courageous group of women who dared to imagine a world free from violence against women and girls. The LA Commission on Assaults Against Women was formed. The first ever sexual assault/domestic violence hotline was launched by visionary feminists. They did not just launch a hotline; they ignited a movement. Ten years later, in 1981, I joined as a volunteer and then stepped into the role of Executive Director and CEO, answering a call to help steward that vision. Who would have thought that when I walked through that door that I would find my purpose? This month, June 2026 is my anniversary month. Looking back over my 45 years of engagement, I am overwhelmed and grateful for a powerful truth: I did not build this house alone. Today, I honor the truth of our history. We are the builders. Every advocate, volunteer, survivor, board member, advisor, donor, and staff member who has walked through our doors since 1971 has left their footprints and fingerprints on the bedrock of Peace Over Violence. And in turn, the agency innovated many firsts: empowerment self-defense and safety training; the In Touch With Teens healthy relationship curriculum; the first program for Deaf survivors; Youth Over Violence training; and trauma-informed, resiliency-focused programming. Along the way, we also influenced and helped shape the broader gender-based violence prevention movement.
To build a movement of this magnitude requires a rare, stubborn kind of toughness. Over five decades, we have stared down systemic indifference, navigated severe funding crises, and pushed back against deep-rooted cultural biases. Twenty years ago, the agency changed its name and launched a brand. We chose our name with care. We wanted a name that was both inspirational and aspirational. Hence, Peace Over Violence. A name that couldn’t be argued with and that could stand the test of time.
We built this agency and the wider movement out of pure grit, transitioning from grassroots late-night crisis calls to a premier institutional force for healing and advocacy. We survived because when the storms of social backlash and economic hardship hit, our community braced themselves against the wind and fortified the walls. We have proven, time and time again, that our foundation is stronger than any obstacle designed to dismantle us.
Yet, the history of our construction is not merely a tale of labor and endurance; it is also a chronicle of joy. The joy of this journey lives in the quiet victories—the moments a survivor realizes they are safe, the breakthroughs in classrooms where young people learn the true meaning of respect and consent, and the fierce camaraderie of advocates standing shoulder-to-shoulder. When volunteers find new paths for their lives, when staff members build careers of purpose and move on often to find their next bliss. There is beauty in watching a community assemble itself out of love and a shared demand for justice. The laughter in our offices, the triumphs in our healing spaces, the collective putting their shoulder to the wheel, and the bonds formed in the trenches have filled this 55-year-old agency with a vibrancy.
As we look around us today, we must be honest about the terrain we are currently navigating. We are facing some of the toughest challenges of our collective history right now. The socio-political landscape is shifting, resources are stretched thin, and the systemic forces perpetuating violence remain deeply entrenched and have been refueled. It can feel exhausting to realize that after more than half a century, the wind is still blowing so fiercely against us. But a seasoned builder does not abandon the structure when the weather turns. We look at the cracks, we assess the pressure points, and we prepare to reinforce what we have spent our lives protecting.
This anniversary of my leadership is not a monument to a single executive; it is a living testament to generations of co-creators. To the pioneers of 1971, to the teams standing beside me today, and to everyone who gave their time, sweat, tears, and passion across the decades: you are the architects of this legacy. You chose to build rather than be bystanders. Because of you, an organization that started as an urgent response to crisis has become a multicultural, multiracial, multigenerational home for crisis and clinical services; for safety, empowerment, and healing; and for violence prevention and systemic change.
We stand today at a critical vantage point, looking back at 55 years of history and looking forward into an uncertain future. The work ahead will demand the same toughness that got us here, but it also promises the same deep joy. We will face the hardships of this current moment exactly how we faced the challenges of the last five plus decades: together, brick by brick, with unyielding resolve. We are the protectors of this house, the caretakers of this movement, and the authors of what comes next. We are the builders, and our work is nowhere near finished.
Patti Giggans, Executive Director/CEO