( GUEST ADDED) DISCOVERING ME SUMMIT & AWARDS CEREMONY

Join us as we celebrate 27 young ladies ages 13 through 18 who entered our Discovering Me...Without You Personal Essay Scholarship Contest giving voice to their father absence experience while acknowledging their personal resilience and power. 

More than 18 million children in the United States are growing up in homes without a biological father, stepfather, adoptive father or surrogate. Most of them are girls. The consequences for dealing with father absence can be devastating, if not addressed through treatment or customized healing programs. Esther Productions Inc. uses the arts, particularly the literary arts, to provide a vehicle to help affected women and girls heal so they may reach self-actualization and rest in the magic of their personal power.

THE DISCOVERY SUMMIT AND AWARD CEREMONY is part of those. It is an all interactive event with exciting,  informative and healing workshops .  

THE SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER for the day is The Honorable Anita Josey-Herring, chief judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Workshops are being led by psychologist and coach Dr. Misty Freeman and intrapersonal psycholgist, wellness expert and healing artist Dr. Tracie Robinson. 

(see more bio information below)

Scholarship applicants will also present their personal stories and receive awards.

Light refreshments will be served. Door prizes will be given.

Don't miss this fun, informative and healing event. REGISTER NOW.

THE HONORABLE ANITA JOSEY-HERRING, chief judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, was appointed to the bench in November 1997 by President William Clinton. She was selected as chief judge on July 21, 2020 and was sworn in on Oct. 16, 2020. She has had a very distinguished career. As an Associate Judge, she served in the Family, Civil and Criminal Divisions of the court. In 2000, Judge Josey-Herring was appointed by the Chief Judge to serve as the Deputy Presiding Judge of the Family Court and later served as the Presiding Judge of the Family Court from 2006 through 2008. During her service in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Chief Judge Josey-Herring has led numerous initiatives to improve the quality of justice and service to litigants and attorneys alike. She led the highly regarded Family Treatment Court Initiative that provides drug treatment and social services to mothers charged with neglecting their children due to substance abuse. Additionally, Chief Judge Josey-Herring presided over the Family Treatment Court calendar from its inception and collaborated with District agencies to deliver services to parents and children in the neglect system. She also presided over the Juvenile Drug Court prior to the establishment of the Family Treatment Court. Chief Judge Josey-Herring   alsoplayed a significant role in the development and implementation of the D.C. Family Court and implemented several programs, in her role as Deputy Presiding and later Presiding Judge of Family Court, to improve the quality of justice provided to District families. Chief Judge Josey-Herring has also served on numerous committees. She has received a host of  awards in recognition of her service to citizens of the District of Columbia. (for more information go to Chief Judge Anita M. Josey-Herring | District of Columbia Courts (dccourts.gov)

TRACIE ROBINSON, Ph.D., BC-DMT, RP, CHT, holds a doctorate in intrapersonal psychology and a master’s in dance/movement therapy. Dr. Tracie is the owner and founder of Emotions N Motion Healing Practices a non-profit organization as well as a for profit business, Essences of Wellness Authentic Transformations, LLC. She uses structure and/or authentic dance and movement to facilitate synergistic change. With the goal of exposing people to their predispositions by integrating movement, gestures, rhythms, breaths, verbal and non-verbal communication with a less defended expression of the body. The art of dance is used as a therapeutic tool to bring about holistic healing in clinical populations including, but not limited to physical, emotional and psychological trauma, depression, PTSD, substance abuse disorders, and body image/eating disorders. Dr. Tracie also holds certifications in Reiki, Reflexology, Hypnotherapy, Traditional & Kemetic Yoga, and Herbal Medicines.

MISTY FREEMAN, Psy. D.  is a school psychologist with over 15 years of experience supporting the educational and mental health needs of children and their families. She specializes in psychological assessment, identification of learning and mental health issues, treatment of a wide variety of childhood disorders, development of wellness programming, and special education advocacy.  Dr. Freeman earned her Master's in Early Childhood Education from Hampton University and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Regent University. When not providing services, she can be found cheering on her son at baseball games or checking out local thrift stores for unique, vintage finds.