BETHLEHEM, PA - "Redefine who you are to yourself now that you’re living this new life; back part of the civilian culture. Trying to navigate that can be difficult," says U.S. Air Force Veterans Dominique Slack.
Putting yourself out there, sharing your poetry with an audience, can be tough for anyone. But for returning soldiers, it’s all those other moments in between performances that can be a battle.
"I got out am I came back to Pennsylvania, to the Poconos, my integration was very challenging," explains Army veteran Jenny Pacanowski, "laced with addiction, near homelessness and then just struggling to drive. Due to the convoys I was having difficulties staying in the present moment so I was having flashbacks to Iraq and I was unable to function."
Pacanowski is the founder of Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving; a volunteer nonprofit based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Iraq War vet says writing helped her work though some of life and war’s toughest struggles.
"Part of the inspiration of my program is to provide that kind of connection, camaraderie, family if you will, tribe, community...so that the veterans that don’t have supportive family members or the connections that they need, can come to us for the writing and performance but also for resources, connections, conversations, anything that they need. Also to be reconnected with the civilian world, that’s what we use the performances for," she tells PBS39 News Tonight Reporter, K.C. Lopez, "What I want to teach people, especially when I’m in my workshops is how to communicate with civilians and understand they don’t necessarily know where you are coming from but also in the performance aspect and the conversations we have after, to guide civilians on how to speak to veterans as well. Especially if you work with veterans."
That’s how the only women’s veterans group in the Lehigh Valley came together. Jenny knew writing and performance could help others just like her. Now, female vets meet up on a bi-monthly basis, work-shopping through their truth and experiences. Here they share resources, cultivate friendships, and embrace the three C’s crucial to them; camaraderie, creativity and community.
"I just never talked about my service. Nobody asked and I didn’t tell. I carried around a lot of shame. I was raped when I was in there and I carried that shame," reveals Air Force Veteran Cari Rowan, "So this group and the women, Jenny and Corinna, the women who aren’t here, they became role models for me which is kind of cool. Somebody who is almost 70 years old, having somebody who is 40 being their role model, it’s kind of a reversal but that’s what’s happened. And the fact that I’ve been so welcomed and embraced by people who are 20 or in their 60's is really heartwarming."
And it’s getting on stage that allows these fierce females to face past and present challenges playing out behind the curtain...
"I was sent to South Korea where I was there for, I think I was there for a month before I was raped," explains Army Veteran Corinna Brown, "And then subsequently, I decided that I would report it because that’s who I am and that proved to be, not for me at this point in my life, but at that point in time, a mistake. I had no way of coping with what happened and then the separation from the military; I wasn’t reintegrated back into society at all so I was struggling with that and I turned to drugs and alcohol. And I drank and did drugs for 20 years. Until tragedy strikes and I decided to change my life and when I decided to change my life, four years ago, I found Jenny."
The group’s next performance will be on Saturday February 22nd at Bethlehem’s Touchstone Theatre in a showcase called, “Love Redefined; a Veteran’s Journey.” More information about the group can be found at WomenVeteransEmpowered.Org
Got a news tip? Email K.C. at KCLopez@WLVT.org