V-Day is so proud to announce that V-Day Executive Director Susan Celia Swan was awarded the Millicent Carey McIntosh Award for Feminism, presented by Barnard College on June 1st in New York, NY. V-Day Programs & Development Director and fellow Barnard alumnae Purva Panday Cullman was in attendance at the 2013 Alumnae Reunion Awards to celebrate the honor.
The Award was established in 2004 to honor a woman who exemplifies the strong, independent traditions of Barnard. Honorees are selected by the Alumnae Association Awards Committee based on nominations from fellow alumnae.
Eve’s 19-city North American Tour for her newest book In The Body of The World has come to a close and we could not be more grateful to all of you, our incredible activists who came out, asked questions, shared stories, danced, and inspired us in so many ways. The tour was a huge success, raising awareness and funds for V-Day’s work to end violence against women and girls, and that’s all because you came out and supported! THANK YOU!
We would also like to give a special shout out to some incredible people in cities across the U.S. and Canada who helped make the tour possible by hosting events and raising funds for V-Day’s work, including: Susie Tompkins Buell; Kathleen Fontaine & Debbie Fleischaker; Joan Baker & Margeaux Klein; Cecile Lipworth; Heather Moseley; Belinda Munoz; Nikki Noto; Wendy Schmidt; Laura Seydel; Sharon & Howard Socol; and V-Board members Carole Black, Pat Mitchell, Emily Scott Pottruck, Amy Rao, Regina Kulik Scully, Sheryl Sandberg, Lisa Schejola Akin, and Susan Celia Swan.
Over the last few weeks there have been some very special events taking place that have raised funds for V-Day’s work. We are honored to be working with such incredible people around the globe:
V-Board Member Thandie Newton Hosts Jimmy Choo Party in Support of V-Day
On May 22, V-Board member Thandie Newton co-hosted a party for the launch of Jimmy Choo’s pre-fall collection. The private event, which took place at Clifton Nurseries in London, brought the issue of violence against women and girls, and V-Day’s efforts worldwide to end the violence, to a new and excited audience, and raised funds for V-Day’s work on the ground.
Women of Congo Represented On Top of The World
In 2008, activist climber Georgina Miranda founded the Climb Take Action~7 Summits Challenge, a campaign dedicated to empowering women in Democratic Republic of Congo by climbing to raise awareness about the sexual violence in DRC, and funds to support their healing. To date she has reached 6 of the 7 summits, and most recently on May 21st, Georgina reached the ultimate pinnacle, the Summit of Mount Everest.
Georgina has dedicated herself to this challenge for five years and in that time has raised over $33,000 for the women of Congo, with funds split between V-Day’s work in the region, and International Medical Corps. We could not be more proud of Georgina, and we recommend you all check out her blog at climbtakeaction.com.
Mayo Clinic Staff, Family & Friends Run City of Joy 5k In Rochester, MN
On May 31st, Lois McGuire, along with staff, family, and friends from the Mayo Clinic organized a 5K run to honor the women of Congo. The event brought over 300 runners together, raised over $10,000, and served as an opportunity for local women and men and their families to rise to support the women of City of Joy.
On Tuesday, June 11th following the 7pm performance of Ann, the new critically acclaimed play written and performed by Emmy Award-winning actress and 2013 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominee Holland Taylor, Eve Ensler will participate in a post-show discussion as part of the Great American Women Talkback Series.
DISCOUNT TICKETS are available at www.BroadwayOffers.com, use code ANNFF for $85 orchestra (regularly $125) or $55 rear loge (regularly $95).
V-Day is proud to be supporting the LGBT Asylum Support Task Force of Hadwen Park Church in Worcester, MA with a $5000 grant. A group of dedicated volunteers in Central Massachusetts who provide support to any LGBT asylum seeker who is pursuing a legal case, the Task Force has supported more than 62 LGBTQ persons from 15 countries.
The V-Day grant goes towards supporting JK and Magi, two Ugandan women who were tortured, jailed and “correctively raped,” because they were lesbians. Corrective rape is a horrific practice in which it is believed that rape can “cure” a woman of their homosexuality, leading them to marry men and have children. Because being openly gay in Ugandan society is so dangerous, these women fled the country, leaving their children behind. The V-Day grant helps to support them in the United States while they pursue a legal battle for asylum.
Please read more about the important work of the Task Force at www.lgbtasylum.org
As Pastor Judy Hanlon, who runs the program, said, “This is nitty, gritty life-saving work.”
Check out V-Man Mark Matousek and V-Day supporter Catherine Ingram’s video blog on Eve’s newest book In The Body Of The World, and her recent book launch at Barnes and Noble in New York City.
The ongoing Civil War in Syria has lead to hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to neighboring countries. As history has taught us, the rate of violence against women and girls escalates dramatically in times of conflict, and as the war continues and the stability of refugee camps and local infrastructure deteriorates, women and girls are suffering.
V-Day is proud to be working with Al Madad Foundation, a small, grassroots UK registered organization that works directly with refugees on the ground in Lebanon.
Aya Haidar, Director of the Al Madad Foundation explains, “Having been to Lebanon several times since the start of the year, I can tell you that the situation is beyond frightful and into catastrophic…The social and economic pressure is beyond breaking point and the tension is palpable. If the basic needs of the many disadvantaged is not met, it will lead to unimaginable consequences.“
Please consider joining V-Day in supporting the work of Al Madad Foundation – Syrian refugees are being forgotten. 100% of money raised through The Vagina Warrior Fund will go exclusively towards the needs of women and children on the ground, including water, food, sanitary towels, clothing, food, etc. All goods will be bought locally and dispersed by the Al Madad team.
Any amount – no matter how small – will help. Join us to help our Syrian sisters.
The RISING Blog Series has been extended! We are pleased to present you two new written pieces by Karin Heisecke in the EU, and Allison Wonders Gars in Atlanta, and for the first time a RISING Vlog from Fahima Hashim in Sudan.
KHARTOUM RISING!
Thank you to Salmmah Women’s Resource Center, Salmmah’s Friends, UNFPA. Blue Nile Lotus, Y-Peer and the British Embassy Khartoum for this amazing Rising event and film. WATCH >
MOVING, DANCING, RISING IN EUROPE by Karin Heisecke, Regional Coordinator EU
When I first got involved with V-Day in early 2001, little did I know that the movement would become one of the few constants in my life over the following decade, as I was moving across Europe, changing cities, changing apartments, changing jobs. CONTINUE reading >
ATLANTA RISING
by Allison Wonders Gars, Regional Coordinator
On Feb. 14th, 2013, Atlanta, Georgia joined together in solidarity to demand an end to violence against women and girls in our city and around the world. CONTINUE reading >
This Sunday, women and men, boys and girls around the world will celebrate Mother’s Day. Please consider giving a V-Gift to support the global movement to end violence against women and girls on behalf of your mother, friends, and loved ones.
We have two specially designed 2013 Mother’s Day V-Cards available to choose from. With your donation V-Day will send the electronic card of your choice letting your loved one know of their unique gift in their honor.
To send a V-Card on the donate page, check the box next to “Donate on behalf of a loved one?” labeled “Yes, I would like to send a V-Day e-card,” chose the design you would like to send, and fill in the rest of the information to finish designing your gift.
Eve Ensler on connecting to the world through a cancer diagnosis
Eve opens up to V-Day supporter Maria Shriver about how fighting cancer helped her become connected to her body again and her new memoir, “The Body of the World.”
V-Day is so proud to announce that V-Day Executive Director Susan Celia Swan was awarded the Millicent Carey McIntosh Award for Feminism, presented by Barnard College on June 1st in New York, NY. V-Day Programs & Development Director and fellow Barnard alumnae Purva Panday Cullman was in attendance at the 2013 Alumnae Reunion Awards to celebrate the honor.
Eve’s 19-city North American Tour for her newest book In The Body of The World has come to a close and we could not be more grateful to all of you, our incredible activists who came out, asked questions, shared stories, danced, and inspired us in so many ways. The tour was a huge success, raising awareness and funds for V-Day’s work to end violence against women and girls, and that’s all because you came out and supported! THANK YOU!
On May 22, V-Board member Thandie Newton co-hosted a party for the launch of Jimmy Choo’s pre-fall collection. The private event, which took place at Clifton Nurseries in London, brought the issue of violence against women and girls, and V-Day’s efforts worldwide to end the violence, to a new and excited audience, and raised funds for V-Day’s work on the ground.
Mayo Clinic Staff, Family & Friends Run City of Joy 5k In Rochester, MN
