Heroes

Sharwline Nicholson is a domestic violence survivor who experienced the worst of the child welfare system. Ultimately she turned pain into power by beginning the landmark lawsuit: Nicholson v. Williams, in which a federal judge decided that the practice of removing the children of battered women was erratic and unfair, further punishing mothers already victimized by domestic violence. Nicholson pursued this suit at great personal risk because she wanted to help other mothers and their children faced with similar issues. As a result of her success, she continues to be invited to many domestic violence conferences and colleges across the country to speak. Nicholson serves on the board of the Child Welfare Organizing Project and on the advisory board for the Child Welfare Watch. Her goal is to address the systemic issues which directly affect mothers and children. Nicholson is in final production on a video titled, Balancing the Harms, that focuses on issues and discussion that emerged from the decision in the landmark case that bears her name. This compelling video reveals an unintended and often overlooked consequence of domestic violence and child welfare practice.