Happy VDAY! Until The Violence Stops

Hello good friends and family, near and far :*)

I felt like it was high time I was a little more proactive about updating you all about what is going on in my life-- to give you a little glimpse-- Well, I am, somehow, in the midst of my very last semester at William Jewell College and in the working intensely on very exciting and stimulating senior project- I like to call it my "senior capstone catharsis" :*). I am directing The Vagina Monologues this year at Jewell and set up an entire month of special events, art and awareness for our entire college- focusing of sexual health and social justince concerning sexual and domestic violence and abuse, which we are in the very midst of as I speak! Check out this article our school newspapwer- they did a GREAT article about the show http://www.thehilltopmonitor.com/volume21/issue15/issue15.pdf The Vagina Monologues is part of an international movement to raise awareness about violence against women and girls- it gives a voice to overlooked experiences of women regarding sexuality, self-identity, abuse, justice and resilience. All the funds from the show go to a local organization and all our t-shirt sales are going to a Jewell student and her daughter who, as survivors of domestic violence, are in need of funds for court fees. There are over 20 women (and a few men!) I am directing and overseeing with the monologues and production teams- women that span our campus- women with different backgrounds and strong leadership- it is a great experience. We have been working closely with administration and our Student Senate to address the student need for sexual health education intiatives and contraceptive availability on our campus, have pulled together a moving art exhibit revealing different visions, memories, healing pains, abuses and reflections of of reality at a very personal level, we are creating a venue for women of Jewell to reveal the abuses and difficult experiences they have had through an event focused on awareness and action, we are rallying men from across campus- fraternities, sports teams, independents---to the connect to how they can play a role in this movement. It has been an incredible challenge, but so far rewarding- and proving to be the perfect project to tie my self-designed Women's and Gender Studies major and previous activism into one seamless, creative whole. Check out the international VDAY website- http://www.vday.org/main.html