WILSON, N.C. — January 26, 2017 — Rise up and join fellow members of the Wilson community to help end violence against women. The Lee Student Health Center at Barton College, in partnership with the Wesley Shelter, will sponsor the “One Billion Rising Revolution Event” on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 11:30 a.m. This program will be held at Barton College on Center Campus, and the community is invited to participate. Those participating are encouraged to wear red or pink that day.
This annual world-wide event, aimed to end violence against women, will begin with several presenters from Barton College, the Wesley Shelter, and the Wilson Police Department. The program will conclude with a FlashMob dance, led by Barton student leaders. Those attending are encouraged to participate in the dance.
To practice the dance ahead of time, visit the One Billion Rising website at: http://www.onebillionrising.org/resources/music-video-resource-page/ The website provides easy step-by-step instructions of the choreography so that everyone can learn the dance steps and join in the flashmob dance at the end of the program.
About One Billion Rising —
The onebillionrising.org website explains, “One Billion Rising is the biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history. The campaign, launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. On 14 February 2013, people across the world came together to express their outrage, strike, dance, and RISE in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women. On 14 February 2014, One Billion Rising for Justice focused on the issue of justice for all survivors of gender violence, and highlighted the impunity that lives at the intersection of poverty, racism, war, the plunder of the environment, capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy. For the third year of the campaign, One Billion Rising’s global coordinators chose the theme of “Revolution” as an escalation of the demand for justice, and to build upon the massive efforts of communities worldwide that also looked at the roots and causes of violence as part of their call for justice. On (or around) 14 February 2015, millions of activists in over 200 countries gathered to Rise for REVOLUTION, to change the paradigm, demand accountability, justice and systematic CHANGE. We are rising to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable. In 2016, the theme of Revolution continues with a call to focus on marginalised women and to bring national and international focus to their issues; to bring in new artistic energy; to amplify Revolution as a call for system change to end violence against women and girls*; to call on people to rise for others, and not just for ourselves.”
“*Women and girls is an inclusive term reflecting all those who were assigned and/or identify as female.”
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