(04/23/18 7:28pm)
By Gabriela Rey
Staff Writer
Emotions ran high during the fourth annual “Take a Walk in Our Shoes” event on April 17 in the Brower Student Center.
The event was hosted by Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, and promoted an open and safe space for students to come and share their stories of personal struggle, and foster a sense of community and support with the audience.
“Our founders started this event because people throughout their lives always bottle up things inside them,” said Damani Walker, a senior finance major and member of Sigma Lambda Beta. “We created this event to give that open space to everyone to speak what’s on their minds, to speak about what’s triggering them.”
The night’s performances included poetry, songs, personal anecdotes and free-flowing thoughts. The microphone was also extended to members of the audience who, inspired by their peers, felt the courage to come up and share their experiences.
One of the most powerful performers of the night was Dejon Ricketts, a junior urban education and history double major representing the College’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who recited his original poem “A Day in My Life.”
Ricketts decided to write this poem in 2016 after riots left him sleepless and inspired. He spoke about the experiences of African Americans in the U.S., and of violence and fear.
“I’ve read this poem before,” Ricketts said. “It’s something that’s really personal to me and I really think it fits perfectly with the ‘walk in my shoes’ (theme).”
Alex Penafiel, a junior finance major felt a build-up of courage watching the other performances. He proudly read a poem to the crowd that he related to, and resonated with his personal challenges and adversities.
“I’m a little bit of an introvert, so being up there was pretty hard and it just helped me see things from a different perspective,” Penafiel said. “I also felt that (the event) created a sense of unity. If you’re up on the stage, you can definitely see the different walks of life.”
There was not an empty seat in the house, and though many students had to sit on the ground, each performer was met with a roaring applause. The audience motivated the performers, and the crowd’s supportive spirit showed the students on stage that they were not only heard, but accepted.
Jesse Geevers, a senior marketing major, came to the event in support of a friend.
“I feel like we don’t take that time out of our day to really listen to someone else’s story. We just see what’s on the exterior and we don’t really get involved,” Geevers said.
The members of Sigma Lambda Beta acknowledged that everyone is a different person with a different story, and they hope that this event not only resonated with those in attendance, but that it will also help to make a change on campus.
“Coming together to listen to one another, to hear what another person has to say and what they’ve been through, I think it’s going to impact the campus overall,” Penafiel said.
(04/16/18 9:31pm)
By Gabriela Rey
Staff Writer
As students proudly sported T-shirts with bold letters reading “Support Survivors,” the College community joined forces to educate others about sexual assault and rape at A Day to End Rape Culture on Tuesday, April 10 in the Education Building.
The expo-style event sought to engage students and faculty in addressing and recognizing rape culture. Hosted by Anti-Violence Initiatives, which promotes a campus environment that is intolerant of abuse and responsive to victims and survivors, the event featured student-run interactive exhibits that discussed different aspects of rape culture, ranging from alcohol and consent, to sexual violence in the digital age.
The third annual event at the College seamlessly corresponded with Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“We really want to emphasize your sexuality as a really multifaceted thing instead of making it as simple as ‘I like boys’ or ‘I like girls,’” said Molly Knapp, a junior public health and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major.
As an AVI Peer Educator, Knapp said that the organization works with other groups on campus and presents programs on being a bystander, sexuality, relationships and masculinity. AVI wants to have uncomfortable conversations about sex, but formulate and present these conversations in a way that creates a level of comfort and leads to discussion. The organization’s booth featured the ‘slices of sexuality,’ which was an activity drawing parallels between ordering a pizza, which is a comfortable area for many, and sex, which isn’t.
Another table at the event discussed intersectionality and the correlation between personal identities and susceptibility to sexual assault.
“Everyone has a number of different identities including race, age, gender and sexuality. Taking these identities into account creates different experiences for everyone, especially around sexual assault,” said Elysia Jones, a senior English major. “When you’re thinking about solutions for the problem of sexual assault, being able to pinpoint the communities that are most at risk can help you solve the problem at large.”
All of the exhibits aimed to provide solutions to the most prevalent issues regarding rape culture. Many brought awareness to resources and programs held at the College, including Residential Education, Campus Police and Womanspace.
“Womanspace has been working with the College for many years and works with trained volunteers to provide counseling, housing and shelter to those involved in cases of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking,” said Susan Adams, coordinator for volunteers and community research at Womanspace. “They respond to calls of sexual assault on college campuses and work with Campus Police to ensure the safety, security and confidentiality of victims.”
AVI encourages its Peer Educators to provide the education and information to the campus community to help students make smart and safe decisions.
“I know a lot of people get really scared thinking about what’s happening on campus or what’s happening in the world,” Knapp said. “It’s really important to keep it in the back of your mind and just constantly ask ‘What can I do to make someone feel safe?’”
The expo is one of many events that work to change perception of rape culture, especially on college campuses, and brought to light the importance of conversation regarding sexual assault, healthy relationships and overall safety.
“DERC is an amazing event that is able to educate the community through fun activities and interesting discussions,” said Odalys Quito, a junior sociology major. “What I like are the people who table their program because you can see how passionate they are. I love going every year because I learn something new with each table and person.”