by Morgan Elyse
This year has gone by so quickly and in the same fashion V-Day approaches. The V-Day 2013 campaign, 1 Billion Rising, is an invitation for “women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to [violence against women]”. One out of every three women in the world will experience some sort of violence whether it’s rape, incest, battery, or sex slavery – that’s over 1 billion women and just one is too many.
Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, founded V-Day in 1998. In 1994, her play, The Vagina Monologues, broke ground with its powerful, artful method of spreading the message of violence against women and the V-Day organization has grown rapidly and stronger since then.
Each year, the V-Day organization holds film screenings, workshops, large-scale benefits, community gatherings, and performances in over 167 countries in order to educate men and women on this movement against violence. The most recognized are the performances of The Vagina Monologues. Last year, over 5,800 events took place in support of the V-Day cause and the UMKC Women’s Center’s performance of The Vagina Monologues was one of them.
On 2.21.13, Co-sponsored by the Violence Prevention & Response Project, the Women’s Center will be performing The Vagina Monologues once again to help serve its part in the 1 Billion Rising campaign. We will be holding auditions this weekend. Friday, Nov. 9th from 3 – 7pm, Saturday, Nov. 10th from Noon – 3pm, and Tuesday, Nov. 13th from 4 – 6pm. Auditions will be held in 108 Haag Hall.
All skill levels are welcome – no memorization is required! The performance will be held in February 2013. To reserve your audition time or questions, contact Kelly Rifenbark at 816.235.6175 or rifenbarkk@umkc.edu.
Come force your voice to be heard! Demand change and speak out against violence against women! Do it from a stage in February! Be there this weekend to show us your Vagina…Monologue-ing skills!
<3. Every. Body.
Check out the V-Day site, and while you’re at it, be sure to ‘like’ the UMKC Violence Prevention and Response Facebook page!