Six weeks of preparation, one powerful story, and a Best Portfolio award for SAFE Family Justice Centers.
[Indio, Calif., October 2026] — How do you capture the work of SAFE Family Justice Centers in just a few minutes? How do you help an audience understand what it takes for someone to find safety, rebuild after violence, and move forward?
That was the challenge behind our participation in Desert Fast Pitch, and one that Selena Rodriguez, our Indio Supervising Specialist, took on with dedication and heart.
On October 1, Selena represented SAFE FJC as one of six finalists at the Desert Fast Pitch Grand Finale at Agua Caliente Resort Casino. Her presentation brought the needs of victims and families into focus and invited the audience to see the role they can play in helping people move beyond crisis. We are proud to share that Selena also earned the Best Portfolio award, recognizing an important part of the work behind our presentation.
The evening followed six weeks of preparation led by Selena, with support from our executive team. While continuing to oversee our Indio Center, she helped bring together a pitch and portfolio that communicated both the scope of our services and the individual lives at the center of them.
Condensing that work into a short presentation required her to think carefully about what she most wanted people to understand. Every day, our team helps people navigate circumstances that rarely have a simple solution. Someone seeking safety may also need transportation, legal assistance, housing, or help meeting their children’s basic needs. Those challenges are connected, and addressing one often means working through several others.
Desert Fast Pitch gave us an opportunity to bring that reality to a broader audience. It created space to explain why practical support matters, why coordinated services are essential, and why a family’s needs often continue long after the immediate crisis has passed.
It also gave us a reason to step back and consider how we tell our story. The work can be difficult to summarize, but the purpose is clear: people affected by violence deserve access to support and the opportunity to build a safer future.
Selena’s recognition is something our whole organization can celebrate. We are grateful for the time, care, and persistence she brought to this experience, and for the team members who supported her along the way.
Thank you to the Desert Fast Pitch organizers, coaches, volunteers, and supporters who made this opportunity possible. To everyone who heard our story, encouraged Selena, or connected with our mission: thank you for helping bring greater attention to the families we serve.
You can help carry that momentum forward. Support SAFE FJC and help families access the resources they need to move toward safety and stability.
