Evelyn Cardona

Evelyn Cardona has dedicated her life to empowering and educating victims of domestic violence. 

A survivor of domestic violence, Ms. Cardona is founder and executive director of the North Brooklyn Coalition Against Family Violence. Under her guidance and leadership, the organization provides services to nearly 800 Brooklyn families annually. 

A staunch advocate, Ms. Cardona is also the assistant program director of Urban Women’s Retreat, one of New York City’s largest domestic violence shelter providers under the Urban Resource Institute. In this capacity she provides emergency domestic violence shelter placement to victims of domestic violence. 

A fierce advocate, Ms. Cardona is well-known in the Kings County District Attorney’s office and the New York City Police Department for her advocacy and passion for survivors of domestic violence. On any given day, Ms. Cardona can be found providing counseling and supportive services to victims of domestic violence and families in need.

A 16-year-old teen bride, and mother who was battered for eight years, Ms. Cardona has come a long way from the victim that she was in 1983. Her story, experience and advocacy has landed her on several television programs and she is frequently called upon as an expert witness on issues of domestic violence.

Ms. Cardona holds dual master’s degrees in Mental Health Services and Human Services. She is a second year student at the Forward to Heaven Theological Institute. Committed to community work and helping her home community of Bushwick, Brooklyn, Ms. Cardona has brought domestic violence issues to the forefront and helped create a coalition of more than 50 agencies advocating for the return and reunification of foster children back to the care of their mothers. 

She is the single mother of five children, and a proud grandmother.