ONE BILLION RISING RVA
Why are we rising?
Did you know that ONE BILLION Women on the planet will be raped, violated, abused, or beaten in their lifetime, including here in Richmond? That means One out of Three women you know will be affected by this violence. This is unacceptable and something has to be done about it. It’s time to take a stand. Refuse to allow the violence to continue. Join us for the One Billion Rising rally at the Richmond Coliseum, on Valentines Day from 11:00-2:00 p.m. We can no longer ignore the problem. RISE up to end violence against women and join us at the coliseum on February 14th where we will dance and celebrate a future without violence
Our rally is an avenue to promote a vision of society that respects, upholds, and values the dignity, rights and safety of women and girls.
It challenges people to view organizing and taking a public stand as a powerful tool in shaping social consciousness into a knowing and deep understanding of women’s safety and security as a basis for responsible community and nation building.
The one billion rising campaign in Virginia hopes to promote critical thinking and dynamism as tools toward social transformation. We are envisioning a world where relationships between people are respectful, healthy and safe.
Together we are advocating for our belief that everyone has the right to live free of sexual and domestic violence.
While a rally may not change the world we hope one billion rising changes the way we view the world
Outcomes:
We are rising because we know:
One in Three Women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime
One Billion women violated is an atrocity!
One Billion women rising and dancing is a REVOLUTION!
Our outcomes are to:
• raise mass social awareness about violence against women in Virginia and worldwide
• to activate women and men who love them to come together to take a stand against violence against women
• to demonstrate our collective strength, our numbers, our solidarity across borders
• to bring attention to the fact that violence against women is one of the central issues of our time
• to turn pain into power
That our action, our rally, our coming together is
A statement that we are over it – over rape culture, over violence against women, over the disregard of women’s rights
an act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers
a refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given
a new time and a new way of being
a reminder we are all connected and violence against women impacts all of us and we can no longer be silent, be complacent
bringing together diverse groups in Virginia illustrating the intersection of violence against women with other social justice issues and other human rights violations
an opportunity to feel the power and energy and the liberation of women’s bodies and lives
The creation of a vision of a new future where women are safe and respected, able to walk through the world engaging in intimacy and passion and life with joy and connection.
What we will be asking people to do:
Join us in making a statement that violence against women will no longer be tolerated
Promote laws and policies in Virginia that support justice and safety for victims of violence
Support survivors
Support local domestic and sexual violence programs that every day provide safety, shelter and services for victims of violence
To engage with our legislators to let them know we believe together we can do the right thing to support effective legislation, and funding for domestic and sexual violence services in Virginia.
Image "Celebration of Life" by Susan Singer
Event Information:
When: February 14th, 2013
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Where: Richmond Coliseum
One Billion Rising Program
8:00 – Downtown Awareness March -
Meet at Nina F Abady Festival Park- in front of the Richmond Coliseum - 6th St. Marketplace, Richmond, VA 23223
RALLY 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
11:00 – 12:00
Explore the myriad offerings: Resource
tables, Sponsor’s booths, Hoopers, Glow spinners,
Slam poets, Mini-Vagina Monologue performers,
music/ bands/ dancing, drumming, and Conquer the
Dragon interactive display
12:00 to 1:15 Program
Emcee: Christina Feerick News Anchor, WRIC-TV8
Speakers
• Claire Hylton Sheppard tells her personal story
about her daughter’s murder
• Sergeant Carol Adams, Richmond Police
Department, speaks of her personal experience
• Gaye Adegbalola and the Wild Roots perform
three pieces during the rally
• Rebiya Kadeer – Nobel Peace Prize Nominee,
(2006) a prominent human rights activist from the
Uyghur region of China
• Kristi VanAudenhove, Director of Virginia Sexual
and Domestic Violence Action Alliance
• Susan Singer reads Eve Ensler’s poem “Rising”
Drumming and Dancing Begin
The One Billion Rising Pledge:
One Billion Rising is the beginning of the new world ignited by a new energy. It is not the end of our struggle but the escalation of it. We are suggesting that everyone who rises make a pledge to do one thing in the next year to end violence against women. Spread the word all over Richmond, and have
all of your friends make the pledge! We believe a billion people will rise. Imagine a billion activated pledges. Share your pledge online at The One Billion Rising Pledge .