FORCE | February 29, 2016
- Not Alone Baltimore is a month long awareness campaign building communities of support for survivors of sexual and domestic violence through a series of events accompanied by message of support for survivors on bus ads and billboards throughout the city. Not Alone Baltimore will conclude with the largest display of the Monument Quilt to date on April 9, 2016 at North Ave and Howard Street. Learn more about each event below!
- March 9th, 6p-8p, Storytelling as Resistance. Wright Theater, University of Baltimore Student Center, 5th floor 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. Storytelling is a powerful act of resilience and witness for survivors. Join us for an incredible night of poetry, storytelling and song from survivors and supporters. There will be an opportunity for audience members to share their own testimonies through art and other mediums. Performers include Baltimore’s own vocalist J Pope, award winning poet Tafisha Edwards, The Sons of Baldwin: Spoken Word Collective. and Ama Chandra’s Music. An open mic will follow.
- March 23rd, 6p-8p, What Does Accountability Look Like? University of Baltimore Business Center Auditorium, William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center, 1st Floor, 11 W. Mt. Royal Ave. The conversation around rape and sexual assault often centers on legal prosecution as the way to achieve justice/peace for survivors. But is this the only path to justice/healing? The fact that only 32% of sexual assaults are reported or prosecuted begs the question; what are other or additional ways of ensuring justice based on survivors’ needs and the reality of our racist and inadequate criminal justice system? Survivors have the right to choose their own path to justice, but what choices are available? Finally, how can communities help survivors heal and hold perpetrators accountable? This panel-style event will explore what community accountability and justice means to survivors based on their race, ethnicity, religion, and other identities. We will also address how our communities can create safer spaces for survivors to help them reach their personal definition of justice. Panelists include Leigh Goodmark, Erricka Bridgeford, and Eve Hanan.
- April 6th, 6p-8p, Survivor Town Hall. University of Baltimore Business Center Auditorium, William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center, 1st Floor, 11 W. Mt. Royal Ave. Survivors of sexual and domestic violence, what do you need from the community? From service organizations? From Baltimore City? To heal? To seek justice? To prevent more sexual and domestic violence? In a city with higher than average rates of domestic violence and sexual assault what do survivors need from our government and service organizations? How can Baltimore City better prevent sexual assault and domestic violence and support survivors in their healing and justice? The event will include storytelling from survivors, a chance for attendees to talk in break out sessions and conclude in creating an agenda for our city. Allies are welcome.
- April 9th, 12a-5p, Monument Quilt display . North Avenue at Howard St. Join us for the largest display of the Monument Quilt to date, with a day of performances, speak-outs, hands on activities, and space to support survivors. Sign up for volunteering for the Monument Quilt display. Extra hands are needed for all shifts, especially set up and break down! If interested in tabling, email upsettingrapeculture@gmail.com
- April 13th, 7p-9p, Artist Talk with FORCE. Lazarus Center Auditorium at the Maryland Institute College of Art, 131 West North Avenue
- Created by FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, Not Alone Baltimore is supported by Open Society Institute-Baltimore, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, PNC Bank, and Baltimore City Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice. The Monument Quilt is a recipient of the 2015 PNC Transformative Art Prize, a program of the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, and made possible through a partnership with PNC Bank and the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development. The following organizations are working in alliance with FORCE and Not Alone Baltimore, through joint programming and in-kind support: Station North Arts and Entertainment, Inc., Motor House, Baltimore Arts Realty Corporation, Strong City Baltimore, TurnAround, Inc., Maryland Institute College of Art, University of Baltimore, AAUW Younger Women’s Task Force, Free State Legal, the Family Arts Museum, and Baltimore Collegetown Network.
