Ambitions: Show up and be Counted On
Make Ohio the Safest Place on Earth for Women and Girls
V-Day, the Global Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Girls, is expanding into a two week Festival event!
Women Central Project of Women’s Network and Queen Bee Productions will co-produce Until the Violence Stops: Northeast Ohio, an expansion of the V-Day events that have taken place throughout Ohio since 2001. Hundreds of V-Day events have been produced in Ohio, raising thousands of dollars for local community organizations that work to stop violence. Readers of epitome know that V-Day is a non-profit, global movement to stop violence against women and girls founded by Eve Ensler, playwright of The Vagina Monologues. Hopefully, many of you have had the opportunity to watch the documentary Until the Violence Stops and see the dramatic changes made possible by the organization.
In the summer of 2006, New York launched the first Until the Violence Stops: New York City, sponsored by The Rockefeller Foundation, among others. Because of the tremendous success of Queen Bee Productions’ past V-Day Akron events, Northeast Ohio is one of only two communities in the U.S. granted permission by V-Day to stage a Festival in 2007. Until the Violence Stops: Northeast Ohio (UTVS: NEO), is an awareness campaign that will run June 17-July 1, 2007. This Festival of theatre, spoken word, performance and community events will bring the issue of violence against women and girls front and center for our communities. Post-Festival surveys in New York showed that one in three people were directly exposed to the message. Half of those who said they would never have intervened to help, said now they would. Now we are bringing that kind of awareness to Northeast Ohio and providing the model for future Festivals around the country.
The Festival is centered on four marquee productions and a men’s event. Other organizations and individuals are planning additional events that will run throughout the two weeks of the Festival.
Among others, epitome magazine, Northern Ohio Live, The Akron Aeros and The Cleveland Indians are on board as sponsors. We want you to be a part of this unprecedented event. Visit the UTVS website, www.utvsneo.org, and find out how you can become a Festival sponsor or produce a community event. On the website, you will find a tool to calculate the direct cost of violence against women to your company or organization. You will be shocked at the impact on your bottom line. You can join the online chat and find a link to our You Tube group where you can view inspirational videos or upload your own. GET INVOLVED and help make Ohio the safest place on Earth for women and girls.
