Program for One Billion Rising Feb 14th at the Richmond Coliseum

Friends!  

It is high time for me to bring you up to date on One Billion Rising RVA!  We've all been so busy working on planning it, I haven't had time to write about it!  Before I tell you all about what's happening, we need volunteers!  If you want to sign up to volunteer, please click here to go to the Volunteer Sign up sheet on Google Docs.

Here's what's happening:

Thursday, February 14th, 11 AM - 2 PM, at the Richmond Coliseum
One Billion people around the globe will be rising to bring awareness to the violence being perpetrated against women around the world.  Here in Richmond ten thousand or more of us will gather to learn, to celebrate, to claim our power, to dance, to rise!  The events are as follows:

• 11 AM - 12 PM

1.  Resource Fair full of booths from organizations working to end violence against women.  This will give folks an opportunity to learn more, to get information for themselves or loved ones, or to volunteer to help out.
2. Hoopers, glow dancers, Capoiera dancers, slam poets, actresses performing bits of the Vagina Monologues, bands playing - some of these will be child friendly; some will be for more mature audiences.  (Children are welcome at all of them - we just want parents to be aware that some of the subject matter will be mature, and the monologues and slam poetry will contain four letter words.)
3. Slaying the Dragon - an opportunity for each of us to write our hopes and dreams for the future, or our stories of the past, or statements to honor those we love, or anything else we feel moved to write. They will be displayed on a beautifully-crafted papier-mache dragon symbolizing the New Year, slaying the dragon, using the dragon as a weapon to protect us, or whatever else works for you!

• 11:55  a terrific surprise you won't want to miss!
• 12 - 1:15  the main body of the formal program
• Speakers and performers include:

•  MC'ing the program for us will be two Richmond news anchors: Christina Feerick: Channel 8 & Diane Walker: Channel 12 &10

1. Claire Hylton Sheppard will address the impact violence has had on her personally.
2. Carol Adams, Richmond Police Department, will address local issues.  Carol has been a staunch advocate and phenomenal volunteer to help victims of violence locally.
3. The Nobel Peace Prize nominee Rebiya Kadeer a prominent human rights activist from the Uyghur region of China will speak to the global nature of violence against women. 
4. Yours truly will speak about the One Billion Rising movement worldwide and will recite a rousing poem by Eve Ensler, written specifically for One Billion Rising. 
5. Gaye Adegbalola an American blues singer and guitarist, teacher, lecturer, activist, and photographer, and her group The Wild Roots will play songs to entertain and inspire us.
6. There are a couple of other speakers who have been invited but who have not confirmed yet.  We hope to update and confirm the schedule by Jan 31. 
7. At the very end of the formal program portion, drumming will commence and continue powerfully as we all dance and express the pent up energy and outrage and hope that violence against women CAN and MUST END once and for all.  NOW!  If you have a drum and feel so led, we ask that you bring it with you to join in the drumming.  We would be delighted to have 10,000 drummers taking part!

• 1:15 - 2 The event will wind down as people talk to each other, share, meet, greet, and again visit the resource booths then gradually leave the Coliseum to go out into the world to do what they can to end violence against women. 
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• If you are interested in volunteering to help either before or during the event, we would welcome your help!  Here is information about our upcoming volunteer meetings:
• 
  
  Please Join Us - we have a planning/organizing meeting scheduled for tonight:
  
  
  Date: Monday, January 28, 2013 
  Time: 6:00 to 8:00 pm 
  Location: the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, 5008 Monument Ave. Suite A Richmond, VA 23230.  
  
  
  We will be finalizing the program for our Feb 14th event at the Richmond Coliseum, discussing event promotion, fundraising and sponsorship. We need your help and your good ideas. 
  
  
  We hope you can attend - Invite others interested in joining us and please reply and let us know if you can attend so we can make sure to have plenty of materials for all! Thank you!
  
  
  Please note: The next planning/organizing meetings are on Monday's Feb 4 – &  Feb 11  from 6 to 8 pm at the Action Alliance (address above)
  If you want to sign up to volunteer, please go to this google doc to sign up.