Gay Online Magazine | Out Impact » Blog Archive » » V to the 10th: Celebrating, Educating, Empowering and Encouraging Women To Take Action Everywhere

V to the 10th: Celebrating, Educating, Empowering and Encouraging Women To Take Action Everywhere

April 19th, 2008

Hey, you! Thank you for the visit!
Do you know you can subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content and giveaways?

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our free newsletter for exclusive content and giveaways. Thanks for visiting!

by Bambi Weavil

April 11-12th, 2008 was a special celebration of V-Day with V to the 10th in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised $700,000 for local efforts, brought together the worldwide community of women (and men supporters) for healing, reflection, culture, celebration, information and the strong sense of love, strength and spirit that not only reflects New Orleans perfectly, but women worldwide. The organizers at V-Day made sure to make this a celebration and honoring of New Orleans women in the truest sense by bringing 1200 women who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina home.

Each year in spotlight campaigns, V-Day donates 10% of every performance of The Vagina Monologues worldwide, and this year’s spotlight went to the women of New Orleans also known as “Katrina Warriors.” The Katrina Warriors Network is the diverse body of individuals, affinities, organizations, and institutions doing work to support and enhance the well being of women and girls in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana, and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The founding Nodes of the Katrina Warriors Network are Ashe Cultural Arts Center, Newcomb College Center for Research on Women, The New Orleans Regional Alliance Against Abuse (2005-2006) and V-Day.

The V-Day global movement, founded by playwright Eve Ensler, has raised over $50 million and financed more than 5,000 community-based anti-violence programs, supported anti-violence legislation, education and safe homes around the world. What happened in New Orleans and the Gulf South region after the flood and Hurricane Katrina represents the challenges that women face worldwide: violence, global warming, racism, lack of health care and education, financial insecurity and the failure of local and national governments to act.

The Louisiana Superdome was turned into Superlove, which was free the entire weekend and drew a estimated 30,000 attendees, included beautiful art displays, educational panel discussions from experts and volunteers fighting on the front lines from around the world, as well as musical and poetic performances and inspirational speakers all in a effort to empower attendees as well as each other about stopping the violence against women everywhere. Panel discussions were held on topics such as women in conflict zones from New Orleans to the world; strategies to change the story of women, moving from rescue to transformation; activists: ordinary people doing extraordinary things; and body image and self-esteem - coming into your body, your voice and your power with actresses Rosario Dawson, Amber Tamblyn, Ali Larter and Kerry Washington. Inspirational speakers such as financial advisor and Emmy-Award winning TV host, Suze Orman; Academy Award winning actor, author and activist Jane Fonda, and Sara Blakley, founder and owner of Spanx, who is a self-made entrepreneur spoke to enthusiast attendees. Poets and performers inspired the crowd such as poets Asali Devan, Red Summer, Rha Goddess, Suheir Hammad and Alix Olson as well as performers like Doria Roberts and Chris Garneau performed.

There were also a focus on wellness and well-being, where free massages, makeovers, medical testing, healing and restorative yoga were offered for the women of the Gulf South. Local merchants also had a chance to display and sell their work, and in most cases, portions of proceeds went back into helping the cause at the HerDelight Marketplace. Another section of creating visibility for causes included the V-Day Activist Lounge which set up tables for various non-profits and causes in New Orleans and around the world. There was also a special storytelling circle by the ladies of the The L-Word including Jennifer Beals, Daniella Sea, The L-Word creator Illene Chaiken and Alexandra Hedison.

Friday night, April 11th, was capped off by a brand new production with local writers and performers from New Orleans about New Orleans called “Swimming Upstream” and produced by Ashe Cultural Arts Center, Eve Ensler and V-Day, made it’s worldwide debut. The cast included celebrities Anna Devere Smith, Kerry Washington and Shirley Knight, as well as local cast members Troi Bechet, Asali Njeri Devan, Anne-Liese Juge Fox, Briceshanay Gresham, and Karen-Kaia Livers. “Swimming Upstream”drew 5,000 attendees and told the story of women who have lived through the flood with grace, rage, humor and great resiliency. After the performance, Katrina Warrior Awards were given to honor extraordinary women within the New Orleans community and were given to Cherise Harrison Nelson, a public school educator; Judy Watts of Agenda for Children; Monique Hardin of Advocates for Environmental Human Rights; Ann Milling of The Women of the Storm; and Dyan “Mama D” French Cole, a community leader. The awards were presented by The Men In Red, a group of local male leaders who supported V To the 10th.

Early Saturday morning, April 12th, hundreds of women and men from the Diaspora, along with those currently living in New Orleans, with women and men from around the country and around the world, joined Dr. Denis Mukwege from the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the V to the 10th Superlove parade starting at Congo Square and ending at the Louisiana Superdome, celebrating the women and men of New Orleans and highlighting the right to return home.

Saturday night, was the heavily anticipated and celebrity packed production of The Vagina Monologues at the adjacent New Orleans Arena, Eve debuted some new monologues including “Hey Miss Pat!”, inspired by a native New Orleanian who Eve met in Central City, who was distraught that she couldn’t care for the homeless on Wednesday nights because her church was destroyed after Katrina. The Vagina Monologues production featured performances by Jane Fonda, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Ali Larter, Calpernia Addams, Lilia Aragon, Stéphanie Bataille, Jennifer Beals, Ilene Chaiken, Didi Conn, Lella Costa, Alexandra Hedison, Shirley Knight, Kristen Krepela, Christine Lahti, Liz Mikel, Doris Roberts, Daniela Sea, Amber Tamblyn, Leslie Townsend, and Monique Wilson plus very special musical performances by Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Peter Buffett, Charmaine Neville and The Voices of New Orleans Gospel Choir. Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson closed out the show with a special powerful performance of Aretha Franklin’s “RESPECT.”

Even though the V-Day celebrations are focused toward women, V-Day encourages the involvement of men. Dr. Denis Mukewege was honored with a special V-Day award for his tireless work at Panzi Hospital in helping repair the broken spirits and bodies of the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo who are sexually assaulted, raped and mutilated. Next year’s spotlight campaign will be on UNICEF’s and V-Days efforts to help the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

V to the 10th weekend was full of inspiration, hope, education, and the call for action in what I feel was a life changing and life-affirming weekend for many, including myself. The efforts of V-Day and other supporting organizations will continue their important call to action and giving a voice to the voiceless, until the violence ends worldwide.

* * * *

For more information on V-Day: http://www.vday.org

* * * *

Out Impact is your gay online magazine for gay men and women in the LGBTQ community and our allies, encouraging readers to create a positive impact in the gay community. Our content focuses on activism/philanthropy; expert advice for your professional life; pet care by leading experts; a yoga/wellness column in health, spirituality and wellness; as well as columns in food, comics, fashion, an expert travel specialist; engaging features in the arts and more. We have movie, music and book reviews, as well as the latest interviews. Out Impact also produces events benefiting various non-profits around the country, as well as comprehensive media campaigns to raise awareness for various philanthropic causes while bridging the non-profit, activism, artistic and gay communities. OutImpact.com - Making a positive impact in the gay community. Make yours.

To subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest at Out Impact, as well as exclusive content and giveaways please visit: http://www.outimpact.com/out-impact-newsletter/

Random Posts:

Bookmark This

Random Posts:

Related reading:

Leave a Reply