Marcee Manning and Angelica Mendoza Honored for Legacies of Advocacy at Haven
By Cole Goodwin
In October of 2022, Haven from Domestic and Sexual Violence in partnership with the The Wasco County Domestic Violence Council, held the annual Candlelight Vigil at the Columbia Gorge Community College Amphitheater. The event highlighted local advocates, agencies, and services which empower survivors of domestic violence and drew attention to local domestic violence statistics and issues.
Haven Executive Director Marcee Kukal Manning and Haven advocate Angelica Mendoza, who passed away unexpectedly last year, were both awarded special honors at the event.
James Barber, the Wasco County Victim’s Advocate at the District Attorney’s Office presented Manning with the Annual Domestic Violence Passion Award, an honor given to those who have shown commitment to and passion for working with survivors of domestic violence.
"As a survivor of domestic violence myself, I was very honored to receive the Passion Award. My work with HAVEN, especially over the last year, has allowed me to continue to do meaningful work for survivors in Oregon in an effort to end Domestic Violence. It has provided space for me to support survivors and further my healing journey in doing so,” said Manning.
“Domestic violence flourishes in the shadows...the vigil, held on Domestic Violence Awareness Day, is meant to shine a light on the epidemic that is domestic violence and put an end to it, so that all peoples can feel safe in their homes,” said Manning.
But perhaps the shadows are lifting.
“This year we had a record turn out with 61 attendees which were comprised of members of the Wasco County Domestic Violence Council, HAVEN staff, BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) Mt. Hood Chapter, SafeSpace Child Advocacy Center, Trauma Intervention Program Northwest, 6 Rivers Dispute Resolution Center, and perhaps most importantly Wasco County citizens and survivors of violence,” said Manning.
Attendees also gathered to honor Angelica Mendoza, a Haven advocate who passed away last year.
Remembering Angelica Mendoza
Angelica Mendoza.
Angelica Mendoza worked at Haven from 2018 until her passing and was instrumental in building the legal support advocacy program, supporting survivors, removing barriers for Spanish speakers, and making connections within the legal and court systems. She was also a notary and she helped a lot of Spanish speaking and Mexican people to overcome barriers in our community.
Those that knew her in life wanted to do something special this year to honor her posthumously with a very special new award: The Angelica Mendoza Memorial Award.
The Angelica Mendoza Memorial Award was created for those who have shown compassion and support for “ALL” victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, particularly within the Latinx community.
“The recipient of this award has shown compassion, put others before themselves, bridged the gap with law enforcement, and most importantly created a safe environment for survivors and victims’ to be restored and healed,” said Manning, who worked alongside Mendoza for many years. “Her work both removed barriers and made critical connections that continue to allow survivors of violence to navigate the legal and court systems in a safe and supported manner,” said Manning.
Mendoza has been sorely missed at Haven since her passing.
“From day one, we shared an office. Almost immediately, we went from co-workers to dear friends and quickly became known as "the Haven work wives",” said Manning
“We both drove Camaros, mine red and hers black. We had a shared love of German Shepherd's and we purchased sibling puppies from the same litter. We did everything as a team and we balanced each other. Angelica's kind, calm, and giving nature helped me to stay calm, kind, and professional. And my loud, reactive, outspoken nature helped her find her voice and speak out for herself. Together we were unstoppable.”
That ended on October 28th, 2021.
“It was my first official day as HAVEN's (new) Executive Director. Instead of sharing that with Angelica, I had to announce to HAVEN staff that a treasured member of our staff, and my dearest friend, had passed away due to illness. Not a day goes by that I do not think of her. Her picture is on a shelf above my desk and will forever remain there, because I refuse to occupy a HAVEN office without her,” said Manning
"The definition of service is the action of helping or doing work for someone, and Angelica Mendoza embodied this principle, but more importantly, she acted on her beliefs. She truly put others before herself to make sure they received the compassion and care each deserved,” said Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill, who had also developed a close friendship with Mendoza over the years.
“Angelica opened her life to support survivors of violence and made herself available 24 hours a day, even when outside her hours of work. She was instrumental in bridging the gaps between survivors and law enforcement.”
Magill presented the Angelica Mendoza Memorial Award to Mendoza’s four surviving daughters: Kassandra Sanchez, Yulissa Sanchez, Karina Sanchez, and Dioselyn Sanchez.
Yulissa Sanchez receiving the Angelica Mendoza Memorial Award from Lane Magill.
Yulissa Sanchez, who was the only daughter who was able to attend the event in person, said that receiving the award on behalf of her mom was very emotional.
“There was some good crying and sad crying,” said Sanchez “Losing my mom was just so traumatic and unexpected, but I know she would want us to be together and remember her for what she stood for. And that’s how I want to remember her. She had the strength and courage to leave a violent relationship, and she was always helping others.
I think the best way for her to be remembered is that my mom was someone who truly helped so many people in our community and I genuinely believe that was her calling: to help others to the best of her ability.
Her legacy will live on in the work and help she provided and I know as long as we are working to help others in our life she would be happy with that.
She was a wonderful mother, and is missed beyond measure. If you knew my mom she loved her heels, she had like a billion and one pairs. She was always telling us: kill them with kindness. And in every thing she did she was always very humble.
It really means so much to me that people at Haven are keeping her memory alive.” said Sanchez.
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