Patrisha McLean
Patrisha McLean (August 2, 1959) is an American photojournalist and activist for survivors of domestic abuse. McLean founded the nationally recognized nonprofit organization Finding Our Voices, which received two Purple Ribbon Awards from Theresa’s Fund in 2021 for Outstanding Awareness Campaign and Event[1]. In addition to her work as an activist, McLean published two books of photo essays illuminating the everyday lives of Maine residents: Maine Street and My Island as well as the biography of child star Brandon DeWilde, entitled All Fall Down The Brandon DeWilde Story. McLean’s photographs have been nationally exhibited including at the Silver Eye Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA, the Caldbeck Gallery in Rockland, ME and the Holocaust and Human Right’s Center of Maine[2]. In July of 2021, Patrisha McLean was named one of 21 leaders for the 21st century by Women’s eNews.[3]
Biography[edit]
Early life[edit]
Patrisha McLean was born in the northeastern city of Timmins, Ontario on Aug 2nd, 1959. She was raised in Montreal, Quebec.
At the age of nineteen, McLean moved alone to San Francisco, California, and began working at the Humboldt Beacon and Humboldt County Weekly in Fortuna, California. McLean interviewed and authored feature articles about notable persons John McEnroe, Mister Rogers and Mike Love.
Her work as a feature reporter continued for the Antioch Daily under the Contra Costa Times, a daily newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area. McLean won several state awards for her feature stories on members of the community. Shunning celebrity culture, these stories featured a sex-trafficking victim, bug exterminator and other individuals McLean encountered on her travels around the area.
1987 - 2016: Abusive Marriage[edit]
In early August of 1986 at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, California, Patrisha interviewed American singer-songwriter DonMcLean before his opening set with Joan Baez. Seven months later, Patrisha and Don were married and relocated East to Garrison, New York.
Patrisha has two children, Jackie and Wyatt, and two grandchildren, Rosa and Maya.[4]
On January 18, 2016, Don McLean was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence.[5] McLean pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal mischief, and criminal restraint. The domestic violence charge was dismissed as part of a plea deal in which McLean paid a fine of less than $4,000.[6]
Patrisha McLean filed for divorce[7][8] and was awarded a 10-year restraining order against her ex husband.[9]
Their daughter Jackie (Roan Yellowthorn), is a singer/songwriter. She has recounted her upbringing to the press on multiple occasions, citing the emotional, verbal and mental abuse inflicted by her father.[10]
Finding Our Voices[edit]
Patrisha McLean founded Finding Our Voices in April 2020. The nonprofit organization marshals survivor faces and experiences to break the silence of domestic abuse, and provides sister-support to victims.
History[edit]
Finding Our Voices began as a Valentine's Day 2019 multimedia exhibit by Patrisha McLean in her hometown Camden Public Library. The exhibit featured photo portraits of survivors, audio of their voices telling their stories, and customized Power and Control wheels. More than half the subjects were women in the local community.
All that year, the exhibit, slideshow presentation and Survivor Speaks panel discussions traveled around Maine and into Massachusetts, including a three-month exhibit at Maine’s Holocaust and Human Rights Center, the State House; high schools and universities; a conference of district attorneys; and the women’s unit of Windham Prison.[11] [12]
Finding Our Voices was recognized in 2021 by Domesticshelters.org as a “hero of the domestic violence movement.”
In March 2021, Finding Our Voices was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Sunshine Lady Foundation which was founded by Doris Buffett, continuing Doris’s life work of direct-giving to people in crisis.[13]
Banners and Bookmarks[edit]
At the onset of COVID, Patrisha McLean brought the indoor exhibit of her photo portraits of Maine domestic abuse survivors outside with 2’ x 4’ downtown business window banners featuring survivors’ experiences with domestic abuse, and highlighting the various forms that domestic violence can take. In the first two years of the banner campaign, 2,000 of these banners papered more than 60 towns across Maine.
In 2020, bookmarks were created from the content on the banners and 25,000 all featuring the faces and quotes from named Maine domestic abuse survivors were distributed by food pantries, police, libraries and bookstores and all manner of civic and retail establishments.[14] [15] The banners feature personalized power and control wheels originally created in 1984 by staff at the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (DAIP).[16]
In December 2021, the governor of Maine, Janet T. Mills joined Finding Our Voices, becoming the 41st Maine woman to lend her face and voice to the de-stigmatizing campaign as a survivor of domestic abuse.[17]
Get Out – Stay Out Program[edit]
“Get Out – Stay Out” is a referral-based assistance program developed by Finding Our Voices that provides women with the resources to escape dangerous domestic abuse situations. The program pays for such emergency items as rent, security systems and car repairs.
Works[edit]
Books[edit]
- Maine Street: Faces and Stories from a Small Town (2009)
- All Fall Down The Brandon DeWilde Story (2013)
- My Island: Portraits of Maine Island Children (2015)
Photography[edit]
- (1994 to 1998:) “Children of Fulton Street,” widely exhibited and in the collection of the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland Maine.[18]
- (2004-2012) Flower Girls: An ongoing collection of images pairing flowers from the gardens with young girls between the ages of 7 and 12. Exhibited at the Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor.[19]
- (July 24 - August 24, 2016) Portraits of Homeless People in My Community. Exhibited at Pascal Hall in Rockport, Maine and the Portland Museum of Art.[20]
- (October 3 - March 27, 2016) Picturing Maine. Exhibited at the Farnsworth Art Museum.[21]
- (2019 - present) Finding Our Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Abuse multimedia series. A photography and audio exhibit of women from all over Maine breaking the silence about domestic abuse in their lives. Exhibited at the Camden Public Library (2019) and the Holocaust and Human Right’s Center of Maine on the University of Maine at Augusta campus. .[22][23][24]
Podcast/Radio[edit]
- (2021 - present) Finding Our Voices: The Podcast https://findingourvoices.net/podcast
- (March 2021-present) Host of Let’s Talk About It, conversations with survivors of domestic abuse on WERU https://archives.weru.org/category/lets-talk-about-it/.[25]
Writing[edit]
Patrisha McLean’s OpEds on domestic violence have been featured in Maine newspapers.[26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31][32] [33]
Appearances and Recognition[edit]
Patrisha McLean has appeared as a keynote speaker at several national events and panels related to domestic violence and abuse. She has received international recognition for her contributions.
- (2021) Keynote Speaker for SHALVA, the oldest independent, Jewish domestic abuse agency in the United States[34]
- (2021) Named one of 21 leaders for the 21st century by Women’s eNews[35]
- (2021) Awarded Purple Ribbon Awards for Finding Our Voices’ “Outstanding Awareness Campaign”[36]
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- ↑ Lisa, Krstoff (July 27, 2021). "Finding Our Voices receives national recognition". Boothbay Register. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Holocaust and Human Right's Center of Maine to host Finding Our Voices project". PenBay Pilot. September 11, 2019. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ↑ "Announcing: Our First 7 Honorees for '21 Leaders for the 21st Century' 2021!!". Women's eNews. 2021-07-06. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ↑ Pennington, Juliet (April 2, 2019). "The VIP Lounge with Don McLean". Boston Globe. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ Harris, Chris (January 18, 2016). "'American Pie' Songwriter Don McLean Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges in Maine". People. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ Harris, Chris (July 22, 2016). "'American Pie' Singer Don McLean Pleads Guilty to Domestic Violence Charges Against Estranged Wife". People.
- ↑ Stark, George (March 10, 2016). "'American Pie' Singer Don McLean's Wife Files for Divorce: 'She Has Chosen to Characterize Our Relationship in a Completely Distorted and Untrue Manner'". People. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ "Don McLean and wife Patrisha finalize divorce, agree to $10M settlement". CBS News. June 21, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ Ingle, Róisín. "Patrisha McLean: My 'deeply controlling' ex-husband Don McLean". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
- ↑ Legaspi, Althea (June 23, 2021). "Don McLean's Daughter Alleges Mental, Emotional Abuse by 'American Pie' Singer". Rolling Stone.
- ↑ "Finding Our Voices". HHRC Maine. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ "Artist, human rights advocate Patrisha McLean to speak at UNE on Feb. 10". University of New England. February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ "Finding Our Voices receives $50,000 grant". Pen Bay Pilot. March 3, 2021.
- ↑ Berleant, Anne (October 23, 2021). "Banners shine light on domestic abuse". Ellsworth American. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ Sorkin, Emma (July 15, 2021). "Banner news: Domestic violence awareness project comes to Lakes Region towns". Press Herald. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ↑ Krstoff, Lisa (July 27, 2021). "Finding Our Voices receives national recognition". Boothbay Register. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Gov. Mills, an abuse survivor, to play role in domestic violence campaign". PressHerald. December 10, 2021.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (April 23, 2020). "Maine Artists at Home: Patrisha McLean, Curbside Delivery of Hope". Farnsworth Art Museum. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ↑ McAvoy, Suzette (August 2009). "Patrisha McLean's hilltop gardens bloom with inspiration". Maine Home Design.
- ↑ Walker Caron, Sarah (August 3, 2016). "Midcoast exhibit puts faces to homelessness". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Picturing Maine". Farnsworth Museum. October 3, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Finding Our Voices". WERU Community Radio. February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Finding Our Voices". HHRC Maine. December 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Holocaust and Human Right's Center of Maine to host Finding Our Voices project". Pen Bay Pilot. September 11, 2019.
- ↑ Patrisha, McLean (January 14, 2022). "Let's Talk About It 1/14/22: Domestic Abuse and Religion". WERU Community Radio. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (July 13, 2019). "No more". Village Soup.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (November 20, 2019). "Maine Voices: Domestic abuse destroys lives even when it doesn't end them". Press Herald.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (June 16, 2020). "As an abuse victim, my voice didn't count. Until now". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (August 6, 2020). "Why don't they prosecute?". Village Soup. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (October 5, 2020). "Maine Voices: Art exhibit opens eyes to domestic abuse in our midst". Press Herald. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (September 18, 2020). "Domestic violence is a second pandemic". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (March 24, 2021). "Maine Voices: For women terrorized by domestic partners, it's no better here". Press Herald. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ↑ McLean, Patrisha (May 30, 2021). "Insight: Breaking the silence on domestic violence in Maine". Press Herald. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Journey to Healing: A Mother/Daughter Story". Shalva Cares. June 23, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Announcing: Our First 7 Honorees for '21 Leaders for the 21st Century' 2021!!". Women's ENews. July 6, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ↑ "Purple Ribbon Award Winners Announced". Domestic Shelters. August 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
