West Virginia University’s Gender Equality Movement invites the WVU and local communities to “Take Back The Night” Thursday, April 26 from 7-11 p.m. “Take Back the Night” is an empowering event for women and men to end sexual violence and support survivors.

The night will begin with a performance from spoken word artist Crystal Leigh Endsley, Ph.D., on the Mountainlair plaza. Endsley focuses on issues of performance and identity and the ways they intersect with feminist pedagogy, race, and popular culture; hip hop and cultural production as activism; and the connections between academic/home communities, motherhood and knowledge production.

Following the performance, there will be a march through downtown Morgantown, ending at the courthouse square where a candlelight vigil will be held at 8 p.m. Afterward, refreshments will be served in the Mountainlair Ballrooms and the event will conclude with a Speak Out. The stage will be opened to anyone who wants to speak or ask questions about sexual violence.

“Take Back The Night” is an international event that the members of GEM have been bringing to the WVU campus for years. The goal is to raise awareness about all forms of sexual violence which includes sexual assault, sexual abuse, dating violence and domestic violence.

GEM, formerly FMLA, is a feminist activist organization committed to seeking full-fledged equality and the ending of all forms of oppression among all genders, all races, all classes, all sexualities, all abilities? all people. To get involved, contact WVUGEM@gmail.com or attend a meeting on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Cacapon Room of the Mountainlair.

—WVU—

4/23/12

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CONTACT: Melissa Cheskano, GEM president
mchesank@mix.wvu.edu