It's apparently difficult for me to be still for very long. After several months of resting and finding my center again, I am back and ready to rock and roll! I have been called to a cause which is very near and dear to my heart and is closely related to the work I've been doing with Beyond Barbie around Women's body image and self esteem.
When I went to Omega Institute last month to the Women and Power conference, I heard Eve Ensler speak - she's the reason I went to the conference in the first place. She's the woman who wrote Vagina Monologues. She is also working like crazy to bring awareness to the fact that one in three women on this planet will be abused, raped, or beaten in her lifetime. Did you hear that?
ONE IN THREE WOMEN ON THIS PLANET WILL BE ABUSED, RAPED, OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME.
That is over ONE BILLION WOMEN. I can no longer live in a world where I know that information and not try to do something about it.
Eve apparently feels the same because she has created an event called One Billion Rising. On February 14th, 2013, Valentine's Day, women and those who love them all over the world will be striking, rising, and dancing to bring awareness to the truth and to demand an end violence against women. She has created an exceedingly moving video which gave me chills to watch: http://vimeo.com/49860523. I find it beyond powerful.
If you want to get involved in planning the event, we would LOVE to have your help! We will have our first organizing meeting at my house, 3440 Northridge Rd, Richmond 23235 on November 18th at 6 PM. At it, we four organizers will tell you what we have in mind so far; we'll present a list of tasks; we'll ask for help; and we'll ask for your input and ideas and awesome creativity. There is lots of room to make this into what you want it to be at this point.
So far we're planning a rally at the State Capitol at noon on the fourteenth, replete with drumming and inspiring speeches by incredible women and ideas about how to go about ending the violence. I hope you'll come and bring everyone you know!
We hope to get government and corporate buy-in because we all need to work together to make this happen.
We want to have an art show full of artwork inspired by this movement - or the reason behind it - the violence against women.
We will have a performance of The Vagina Monologues in the week leading up to the rally.
We will help other organizations statewide organize themselves for their own rallies.
We will have two evenings of Beyond Barbie performances which pertain to the topic.
Who knows what else will come out of this incredible desire to raise consciousness and awareness and to work together to end violence?? YOU come tell US!
We hope that you will consider joining our organizing committee, help us promote the event, and Rise with us on Valentines Day!
Like Us and watch the page for updates
We need your help!!! We need your involvement!!! We need you
as part of this revolution!!!
If you are interested in volunteering with the steering
committee for One Billion Rising Virginia, please send a note to Virginiasrising@gmail.com
To join and receive updates on
the worldwide One Billion Rising campaign please visit onebillionrising.org
For more information about One
Billion Rising, please download Eve Ensler's incredibly inspiring and moving video by visiting,
In Solidarity, and with great hope for a violence-free future,
Susan Singer, local artist and activist, producer of Beyond Barbie, Organizer for One Billion Rising
Alba Jaramillo, on behalf of the Action
Alliance Co-Director, Virginia's Coalition for Sexual and Domestic Violence Services, Community Organizer
for One Billion Rising,5008 Monument Ave, Suite A,Richmond, VA 23230,(804) 377-0335 ext. 2108, (804) 971-5117 (Cell phone)
Julia Willard, Activist, Member of the Action Alliance,
Organizing Chair for One Billion Rising
Janett Forte, Activist, Former Action Alliance governing
body member, Member of the Action Alliance, and Organizer for one Billion Rising
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