V-Day Blog Archive

WOMEN, WAR & PEACE Begins October 11th!

Women, War & Peace is a bold new five-part PBS television series challenging the conventional wisdom that war and peace are men’s domain. The vast majority of today’s conflicts are not fought by nation states and their armies, but rather by informal entities: gangs and warlords using small arms and improvised weapons. The series reveals how the post-Cold War proliferation of small arms has changed the landscape of war, with women becoming primary targets and suffering unprecedented casualties. Yet they are simultaneously emerging as necessary partners in brokering lasting peace and as leaders in forging new international laws governing conflict. With depth and complexity, Women, War & Peace spotlights the stories of women in conflict zones from Bosnia to Afghanistan and Colombia to Liberia, placing women at the center of an urgent dialogue about conflict and security, and reframing our understanding of modern warfare.

Featuring narrators Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, Geena Davis and Alfre Woodard, Women, War & Peace is the most comprehensive global media initiative ever mounted on the roles of women in war and peace. Women, War & Peace will premiere on your local PBS station every Tuesday night from Oct. 11 to Nov. 8, 2011.

CHECK your local listings >

WATCH the trailer >

FOLLOW Women, War & Peace on Facebook (facebook.com/WomenWarPeace) & Twitter (@WomenWarPeace)

“Brought to you by Bombs and Budgets”- Popular Education Curriculum Addressing War, Economy & Afghanistan Occupation

The South Asia Solidarity Initiative and the War Resisters League have put together a series of popular education-style workshops that explore how organizing against federal military spending relates to, and can forward, local campaigns for economic justice, as well as how the past decade of war has effected Afghans and what they are doing in response. Contact prachi@southasiainitiative.org if you would like to try the workshop in your local community.

DOWNLOAD the curriculum here >

A Message from Malalai Joya on the 10th Anniversary of the War on Afghanistan

V-Day is proud to share a video message from V-Day ally Malalai Joya, one of the most courageous and tireless activists in the world. On this 10th anniversary of the War on Afghanistan, Malalai and V-Day, in solidarity, are calling for the withdrawal of all troops and an end to fundamentalism and occupation. We also call on our officials to redirect funding for the war towards education so that the Afghan people can bring about their own independence.

WATCH here >

DONATE to support Malalai’s work >

Eve at Grace (The San Franista)

http://emilygoligoski.com/2011/09/29/eve-at-grace/

It’s taken 24 hours to write about Eve Ensler’s speech at Grace Cathedral since it happened (bad blogger!), mostly because it’s taken as long to process the playwright’s words of wisdom. I could try to quote the V-Day founder and activist’s words from the night (among my favorites: “I’m only as good as the community I work with” and “the only salvation is kindness”) but would rather reflect on the fact that it happened at all. It’s surprising not just because the event was hosted at a Christian church or because Ensler’s life was nearly claimed by uterine cancer, but because more than 1,000 women and men were ready to really hear her message about personal accountability. A core theme–we’re obsessed with who we are, well the why and what we do is much more essential–has resonated with me all day. And made me wonder what we will do with it.

(Dancing as part of the One Billion Rising project to end violence against women and girls and participating in the play Emotional Creature when it opens at Berkeley Rep are two good places to start. And, until then?)

Inner Strength and Cancer (The Halfway Point)

http://thehalfwaypoint.net/2011/09/inner-strength-and-cancer/

by Belinda Munoz

Inner strength.

You can’t touch it or buy it or cut it with a knife, but you’ll know it when you see it.

And last night, I got to witness it in spades. With red column lighting, crimson lip gloss and hot pink pashminas.

Eve at Grace. Eve Ensler, Tony award-winning playwright, performer and activist electrified Grace Cathedral’s labyrinthed space as she spoke with incredible courage and intense authenticity about cancer, both as a pivotal part of her personal journey having come out on the other side of it stronger than ever and as a metaphor for the diseases eating away at our collective humanity.

But if you know Eve at all and how invigorating her words are, you’d know that only she could speak about cancer in such an artful, illuminating and evolved way. When you listen to Eve speak, you get a sense that, as good as she looks and as amazing as she is, her mission is not to be a magnificent star on stage (though she is that) but rather:
1) to be the messenger of words so powerful you wish everyone you love were there with you experiencing those same words,
2) to impart a message so resonant that your life will never be the same again,
3) to issue a call to action so impossible to resist that you’ve now become an agent of change galvanizing others to join your cause.

Eve as a force must be experienced in person. Though I couldn’t do her brilliance justice, here’s a sampling of her voice, light and grace:

INDIVIDUALISM IS OVER
Eve invites us to embrace the power of community. Similar to Secretary Hillary Clinton’s call to join the Age of Participation, the sooner we understand that we can’t get anywhere without any help from anyone, the more willing we’ll be to extend ourselves to others.

WE NEED TO KEEP OUR PROMISES
I don’t know about you but I’ve heard big promises. And, attributable to naivete or idealism, I’ve believed many of them. I’ve written checks, I’ve given my vote, I’ve knocked on doors, I’ve talked to many, many strangers hoping to convince them to believe those same promises. But, as you can guess, I’ve been disappointed possibly as much as you have. If we don’t keep our promises, we really can’t expect anyone to keep believing in us or our words.

LOVE WILL SAVE US
This is tricky because love is sometimes misunderstood. Love, at times, is much too exclusive that it leaves out those who need it the most. If we can grasp the true meaning of love, if we can love as deeply as possible and as broadly across oceans and borders and walls, then maybe we can begin to wrap our minds around just how incredibly powerful love is.

Tumor.

Vagina.

Rape.

Death.

Revolution.

These are challenging words to many among us. These words make us avert our gaze, fall silent or cringe, if not downright punch us in the viscera.

But if these words can be uttered in a sacred, quiet space, if these words can be spoken within stained-glass windows of cathedral walls, if these words can echo in a room where the hierarchy of bishops and clergy reigns, then we’ve reached a new paradigm, haven’t we? Here in this new paradigm where imagination just became real, the unthinkable is now thinkable; the impossible is now possible.

The cancer of indifference.

The cancer of apathy.

The cancer of take-take-take greed without giving.

The cancer of me-me-me narcissism and caring about no one else.

This inner strength that Eve showed us last night in that sold out 1000-seat space, the inner strength that moved all of us to rise to our feet — I believe we recognized what it was when we saw it because it is the reflection of that same inner strength that lies within each of us. It’s there, lying dormant yet, with a little help from others in the context of community called earth, it can be awakened to beat the cancer that threatens to erode our humanity — to affirm all that is good and to save all that is worth saving.

++++++++++++++++++++++

If you’re interested in exploring Eve’s brilliance, check out V-Day’s website, read her books, listen to her TED talks or watch her plays.

Read Eve’s Letter to the Editor: Rape and Abortion (The New York Times) 09/12/11

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/opinion/eve-ensler-on-rape-and-abortio…

LETTER
Rape and Abortion
Published: September 12, 2011

To the Editor:

Re “Humanitarian Aid for Rape Victims” (editorial, Sept. 8):

The Obama administration has a moral obligation to immediately end the current interpretation of the Helms amendment, which is robbing rape victims in war zones of their right to safe abortions.

Having spent time in Bosnia, Congo and other war zones, I have witnessed firsthand how healing from rape becomes possible only when women reclaim agency over their bodies and their futures.

It is a woman’s choice to determine what happens to her body. How many indignities must raped women suffer?

EVE ENSLER
Paris, Sept. 9, 2011

The writer is the playwright and founder of V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

Win Tickets To See Eve Ensler in San Francisco at Grace Cathedral on September 27!

Want to see Eve speak at San Francisco’s historic Grace Cathedral? V-Day is giving away 3 pairs of tickets to this special one-night only event on September 27! Here’s how to enter for your chance to see her read from her not-yet-published book, CongoCancer:

Do one of the following:

1. Follow V-Day on Twitter at http://twitter.com/vday AND tweet the following: “Follow @VDay & see @EveEnsler’s special talk at Grace Cathedral on 9/27 in #SF! Help end violence against women+girls! www.vday.org/grace”

2. “Like” V-Day on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vday AND change your profile picture to:
.

NEXT, post a link to www.vday.org/grace on your Facebook wall with a message about why you want to attend the talk — and BE SURE to tag V-Day’s Facebook page!

3. If you’re already following us on Twitter, you can enter simply by tweeting the following: “Follow @VDay & see @EveEnsler’s special talk at Grace Cathedral on 9/27 in #SF! Help end violence against women+girls! www.vday.org/grace”

Once you’ve entered, email us at contests@vday.org with your name, email address, phone number, city and state of residence. We’ll need that info in case you win the tickets!

Each of the actions above constitute one entry to win! If you want to purchase a ticket, check out www.vday.org/grace and get yours before they sell out. Spread the word, and see you there!

By participating in this ticket giveaway (“Promotion”), each participant and winner waives any and all claims of liability against V-Day and its employees, distributors, affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, managers, contractors, advertising and promotion fulfillment and/or judging agencies, retailers of all such companies, persons and/or entities (“Sponsor and their agents”), for any personal injury or loss which may occur from the conduct of, or participation in, the Promotion, or from the use of any prize. Sponsor is not responsible for travel, accommodations, or any other cost associated with attending the proposed event. Only US residents are eligible to participate.

JOIN US: Anita Hill 20 Years Later: Sex, Power and Speaking Truth, October 15, NYC

We are excited to announce that registration for Sex, Power and Speaking Truth: Anita Hill 20 Years Later is NOW OPEN!

V-Day is proudly partnering with Hunter College to present this one-day conference on Saturday, October 15th, which will bring together three generations to witness, respond, and analyze present day realities in law, politics, the confluence of race, class and gender, the persistent questioning of women’s credibility, issues of black masculinity and current cases of sexual harassment. The conference will also include highlights from First Run Feature’s film about Anita Hill’s testimony, ‘Sex and Justice.’

Anita Hill will be the honoree and keynote speaker, and will be joined by prominent scholars, attorneys, journalists and activists speaking on panels throughout the day. The conference will also feature “Speaking Truth to Power,” a performance curated by V-Day Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler. The performance will include original works written by Edwidge Danticat, Asali Devan, Eve Ensler, Lisa Kron, Lynn Nottage, Mary Oliver, Kevin Powell and Hope Anita Smith.

Conference Fees

Students: Free
General Public: Suggested Donation $20

Performance Tickets
Students: Free
General Public: $20

REGISTER >

VIEW conference schedule >

VIEW list of speakers >

FOLLOW on FACEBOOK & TWITTER

Sussan Deyhim to open for Eve Ensler at Grace Cathedral Tuesday, September 27 @ 7:00 PM

Renowned Iranian composer, vocalist and performance artist Sussan Deyhim will be provide the musical opening and closing performances capping Eve Ensler’s major speech to be delivered at Grace Cathedral on Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00PM.

Sussan Deyhim is internationally known for creating a unique sonic and vocal language. Her music remains true to the spirit of her ancient heritage, while pointing to the future with a very personal and poetic dramatic sensibility. She has had a multifaceted career encompassing music, theatre, dance, media and film. Sussan’s wide-ranging collaborations with leading artists from across the spectrum of contemporary art have included, Ornette Coleman, Bobby McFerrin, Peter Gabriel, Richard Horowitz, Bill Laswell, Talvin Singh, Micky Hart, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Garcia, Doug Wimbish, Adrian Sherwood and The Blue Man Group.

When: Tuesday, September 27 @ 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM)

Where: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street, San Francisco, CA

For Tickets: http://www.vday.org/grace

Contact: Jen Hirsch 646-495-9723, vday@groupsjr.com

Emotional Creatures Rising Up In Paris

Following sold-out performances in Johannesburg, the V-Day produced workshop production of Eve Ensler’s best-selling new work Emotional Creature has arrived in Paris, with public performances scheduled to start September 14 at Ciné 13 Théâtre. The production, which is being co-produced by V-Day and Paris based MCR Productions, is directed by Obie Award-winner Jo Bonney. Performed in English with French subtitles, the cast will include Neve Faulkner, Sophie Lor, Mégane Mandin, Gaëlle Marie, Karabo Tshikube, and Eno Williams-Uffort. Tickets are now on sale and available at www.cine13-theatre.com.

Emotional Creature, based on the book I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, published by Villard in 2010, is made up of original monologues about and for girls from around the world. Placing their stories squarely center stage, Emotional Creature explores the issues that preoccupy girls worldwide.

WATCH the Emotional Creature Paris Promo Video >

LEARN MORE about the production & purchase tickets here >