“At some point in time, you will play the casualty in someone else’s story,” Jereme Ford, a self-love and domestic violence speaker, told Del Mar College students.
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Student Leadership and Campus Life presented Ford, who spoke on Oct. 19 in the Harvin Center Retama Room on East Campus.
“He’s interactive … we try to bring speakers that interest the students and Jereme stood out from many others,” said Beverly Cage, director of Student Leadership and Campus Life. Cage said Ford has the power to inspire students.
Ford compared the lasting effects of his past relationships with his current life and experiences.
“Relationships, to me, are the most important thing we have,” Ford said.
His lectures focus on developing proper thinking before relationships in hopes of providing people the tools needed to enter a healthy relationship and walk away from “red flag relationships.”
Cayce Berryman/Foghorn
Tatiana Maxwell, a nursing major, mixes purple Play-Doh with Myles Balderas’ yellow Play-Doh during the event. This was a visual representation to show that a good relationship can’t easily end.
Ford earned a degree in sociology and psychology after his time in the military, when his interest in relationships grew. He is now a clinician for Rushford, a part of Hartford Healthcare, and he works in mental health addictions.
During the lecture, Ford interacted with students, portraying how useless it is to try to fix a broken relationship, by using a broken iPhone.
“Would it makes sense for someone to continue to try using this phone?” Ford said. “Why do people stay in relationships that look just like this? … We stay in relationships that are completely damaged beyond repair, broken to pieces.”
In another example, Ford asked Tatiana Maxwell, a nursing major, and Myles Balderas, a kinesiology major, to mix two colors of Play-Doh together. The end result was a ball of inseparable colors, which, according to Ford, represents a true relationship.
“I can relate to some of this stuff. … He got to me,” Balderas said.
Before Rushford, Ford worked in domestic violence for three years. He has written four books, including “The One: A Single Ladies’ Guide,” which he discussed during his lecture at Del Mar. His book focuses on domestic violence and the true value of a woman.
With the intent of reaching all students, Ford discussed domestic violence in all forms: physical, mental and emotional.
“A mixed signal is a clear message. The person for you will have no excuses,” Ford said. “Your heart will get the best when you decide to give it nothing less.”
Students who need assistance filing a complaint of sexual violence, accessing law enforcement or need direction for counseling can contact Cheryl Garner, dean of Student Engagement and Retention, at 698-1277.
