BARBARA SINATRA CHILDREN'S CENTER PREMIERES "OVERCAME: ART OF THE ABUSED CHILD" EXHIBIT IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL
Creative Work by Child Abuse Survivors from their Art Therapy Journeys will be on Display for Public Viewing July 15-21
Eighty-four (84) pieces of original art, each created by a victim and survivor of child abuse, and each reflecting the victim's harrowing experiences and ability to overcome them, will premiere at Vanderbilt Hall inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City from July 15 – 21. "Overcame: Art of The Abused Child," is presented by The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center (BSCC) – one of the nation's foremost treatment, education, research and resource centers for child abuse prevention. The exhibit is a deeply personal, immersive pop-up experience and part of the BSCC's fightchildabuse.org initiative.
"Attendees will experience a powerful showcase of innocence lost with an uplifting message of courage, strength and the ability to recover from a damaging past," said John Thoresen, CEO of the Center.
One of the illuminating pieces of the exhibit was created by Maleyna Gregorio, who will be participating in-person to publicly share her story with media upon request. Maleyna was abused by her music teacher, who started grooming her with inappropriate texts, touching, and gifts in the 8th grade, eventually leading to sexual abuse. She underwent extensive counseling at the Center, including trauma-based cognitive therapy, group therapy and art therapy. Despite her horrific abuse, the now 18-year-old emerged strong – she is an ambitious, model student who recently received a scholarship to play golf at a Division I university.
"It's important for me to talk about this, even though it resurfaces so many painful emotions and memories," said Maleyna. "If I'm able to prevent even one potential victim of child abuse, it will make everything I went through worth it."
Flip Rodriguez, a star of NBC's "American Ninja Warrior," will also be available to speak with media the week of the event. Rodriguez has been a partner to the Center since 2020 and is releasing his new book "The Man Behind the Mask" this July. The book details Flip's journey on how he overcame years of sexual abuse during his childhood, and includes resources from BSCC's fightchildabuse.org, as well as a personal essay from John Thoresen, CEO of the Center, about Flip's work with the BSCC. Flip will be donating to the exhibit the mask he wore on the cover of his new book, as well as for many seasons on the show, to hide the shame he felt for years of abuse at the hands of his own father.
"One of my guiding principles in life is the saying 'get comfortable being uncomfortable,'" said Flip Rodriquez. "I've learned from my past, it's the only way to grow and evolve, whether that's from failure, obstacles or overcoming trauma. I'm honored to contribute my mask, something that has truly been a part of my existence for many years and to me represents confidence, the ability to overcome and trust yourself, to this powerful exhibit."
The 1,500 square-foot exhibit will be complete with a private, safe space for reflection and discussion with two therapists available on site. Filled with art dating back to as early as 1987, pieces range from written word and clear illustrations of a memory to more metaphorical, abstract displays of emotion.
The exhibit will be open to the public July 15 – 21 and aims to raise awareness of the alarming prevalence of child abuse. As many as one in five girls and one in 20 boys are sexually abused by age 18, and 90% of all incidents are committed by someone in a trusting relationship with the child, according to the BSCC. The public can visit the exhibit Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Thursday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. EST.
About the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center
Founded in 1986 by Barbara and Frank Sinatra, the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center is dedicated to ensuring every child's right to a normal, healthy and secure childhood. Since its creation, about 25,000 children have received outpatient mental health and counseling services at the Center. The Center provides individual, group, and family therapy and special programs that address issues associated with children suffering the effects of child abuse and neglect. An estimated 700 children are counseled annually on an outpatient basis, and no child is ever turned away because of a family's inability to pay. For more information, visit BarbaraSinatraChildrensCenter.org.
An animated video series, funded by the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, has reached over 100 million children worldwide and generated over 50 million individual and group viewings on YouTube throughout the United States and abroad.
