Evening Program

for WEAVE’s 11th Annual Gala

Act I: Hors d’oeuvres reception

Act II: Award presentations and special program, featuring an excerpt of Life Without Parole. Act II ceremonies will be hosted by Becky Lee, known to many for making the “final three” on the CBS hit show, Survivor: Cook Islands.

Act III: Dessert reception; meet the program guests including Becky Lee, playwright Warren Doody and the awardees.

Presenting the Recipients of the Watts Empowerment Award

This year’s recipients of WEAVE’s Annual Watts Empowerment Award are Catherine Klein, Director, Columbus Community Legal Services, and Professor of Law, Catholic University, and Margaret Martin Barry, Associate Professor, Catholic University. 

Leaders in the DC anti-domestic violence community, the recipients are co-directors at the Families and the Law Clinic at Catholic University, serving innumerable survivors through their domestic violence, family law, and immigration work. Professors Klein and Barry have been active in court reform, legislative advocacy, and community education projects related to domestic violence.

WEAVE established the Watts Empowerment Award to honor change agents whose contribution helped achieve hard-won victories. This award is presented to individuals, groups, or organizations that demonstrate exceptional dedication to the domestic violence community. We are honored that Professors Klein and Barry will join us on June 16th to accept this award.

Featuring a special presentation by playwright Warren Doody

Special guest Warren Doody is the author of “Life Without Parole.” This powerful play tells the story of a woman serving a life sentence for the murder of her abusive husband. She faces a Parole Board Hearing in which her upbringing, abusive relationship, act of homicide, and subsequent trial and incarceration are dramatized with the help of a Greek Chorus of four prisoners serving identical sentences.

Based on interviews with inmates at the California Institution for Women California, the full-feature play has been performed in several states, at prison facilities as well as battered women's shelters and domestic violence awareness conferences.

At the Gala, Doody will direct an excerpted reading from the play, featuring WEAVE staff, board members, and friends.