Who we are:
FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture is an art activist collective that works to upset the dominant culture of rape and promote a counter-culture of consent. We believe that a more difficult and honest conversation needs to happen in America to face the realities of sexual violence, and we envision a world where every individual has final say over what happens to their own body. To promote this needed conversation, we create art actions to generate media attention and get millions of people talking. FORCE is currently led by Saida Agostini, Hannah Brancato, and Shanti Flagg, artists, organizers, and activists in Baltimore, MD.
The Monument Quilt is FORCE’s biggest active project. It’s a collection of quilted stories from survivors of rape, abuse, and domestic violence. Survivors stitch, paint, and quilt their stories together and send them to us. We sew them into 8’x8′ quilts and take them on tour around the country to create public healing space for survivors of sexual violence. The project is a collaborative effort currently being created by FORCE’s 3 staff members, 17 volunteer Leadership Team members from around the country, and hundreds of volunteers who work in the studio every week.
Gather Together is multi-racial, multi-gender, Baltimore based grassroots collective of people who encountered and survived sexual and domestic violence at some point in their lives. Gather Together empowers survivors to: Equally lead by sharing the power of a community; Establish and provide safe and supportive spaces for healing and sharing; and Engage their voices to create art activism and community action.
We welcome and honor survivors and victims of sexual and domestic violence to our family. We organize a variety of ways for all survivors to be part this effort, including a monthly potluck, a monthly skill share series, and special programs and events, with a focus on the arts.
For more information, visit upsettingrapeculture.com
Community Organizer Description:
We are accepting applications for a community organizer to support Gather Together’s survivor organizing in Baltimore. Gather Together is working to convene survivors from all over Baltimore to create a platform that advocates for a city where rape no longer exists. Relevant activities include:
- supporting the organizing of a day long convening of survivors to build a platform advocating for the rights and needs of survivors (this includes recruiting participants, soliciting organizational support, and creating a social media plan)
- coordinating voter registrations and candidate forums
- coaching and motivating other organizers volunteering for the campaign
- communication with Gather Together members
- attending community and neighborhood events to build partnerships and elevate awareness of the campaign
- schedule and facilitate quilt workshops
Qualified applicants will:
- Have 2+ years experience in community organizing, preferably some experience in directing or supporting the leadership of a campaign
- Have deep relationships and roots within Baltimore
- Have strong public speaking and facilitation skills
- Experience holding space of survivors of domestic and sexual violence
- A basic understanding of trauma
- A strong commitment to ending rape culture
- An intersectional understanding of how rape and abuse are interconnected with other traumas and forms of oppression, especially racism, chemical dependency, and housing instability.
This is a 6 month contract position, with an opportunity for extension. The contractor will be paid $20/hour, and work 20 hours/week. This position requires a very flexible schedule and will require a number of nights and weekends. We are particularly interested in working with artists, people of color, LGBTQ folks, and applicants who have any experience with healing work are encouraged to apply.
If interested in this position please submit a cover letter detailing your background, skills and interest in the work, resume and three references (two professional, one personal) by January 15 to upsettingrapeculture@gmail.com