CHICAGO- According to the latest United Nations statistics, one of every three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That's ONE BILLION mothers, daughters, sisters, partners, and friends violated. On February 14th, 2013, V-DAY (Vagina Monologues creator Eve Ensler's organization) invites one billion women and those who love them to walk out, dance, rise up and demand an end to this violence. Events will take place 194 countries - nearly every country on the planet.
ONE BILLION RISING CHICAGO: A rally and flash mob will take place at Daley Plaza at 12 noon with the participation of over hundreds of Chicagoans, as well as a separate flash performance by several cast members of Chicago's Broadway productions, courtesy of the non-profit organization Broadway Serves. A free, all ages Daytime Dance Party will follow at River East Art Center, 435 East Illinois Street from 1-6PM, featuring dance workshops and performances including: WERQ, Fabulous Ladies of Fitness (FLOF), BeMoved, DJ All the Way Kay, a "Power of the Mic" panel including rapper Psalm One, printmaking fun with Spuknik Press, and more. Partners of OBR Chicago include: Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, 1st Ward Alderman Joe Moreno, WBEZ, Rape Victim Advocates, A Long Walk Home, Amnesty International, the Voices and Faces Project, and CAASE.
Over a dozen additional Risings will take place in Chicago on February 14th, including:
Roosevelt University Vagina Monologues performance -430 S. Michigan Ave - 9:30PM
University of Chicago UChicago Rises Reynolds Club 5706 S. University Ave. 2:00-4:00PM
Awakened Goddess Valentine's Ball - Underground Wonder Bar 710 N. Clark Street 8:00PM 1:00AM
Eco Cooperative Rising -2042 W. 21st Street 6:00PM-11:00PM
Flamenco Rising at Union Station Grand Hall 5:00 & 5:30PM
More events at: onebillionrising.org/Chicago
In partnership with No Small Plans Productions, OBR Chicago released a Public Service Announcement video February 4th, featuring: the Windy City Rollers, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, WBEZ's Alison Cuddy, rapper Psalm One, and many other Chicago personalities and citizens, giving their support for One Billion Rising.
ABOUT V-DAY: V-Day is a global activist movement lead by Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) to end violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sex slavery.