What do October and the color purple have in common? Both are associated with domestic violence awareness, education and advocacy. In honor of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I recently went to a domestic violence awareness walk and rally in nearby Groton, Conn. The event was co-sponsored by Safe Futures, the domestic violence center in New London, and was appropriately titled "The Power of Purple."

All of us donned purple shirts and walked a 2.5-mile route in historic Groton. Some passersby applauded us, and a few cars even honked to show their support. During the rally portion, some survivors of domestic violence shared their stories. Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney also spoke about the culture of violence in and beyond the southeastern Connecticut community. The rally ended with a final call to action on what we can do to change the future.

As Catherine Zeiner, the executive director of Safe Futures, said in the final moments of the event, "I see a safe future for southeastern Connecticut." With dedicated advocates, organizations like Safe Futures, and events like this walk and rally, I do, too.