(Photo: Frances Meng-Frecker)
V-Day is a national event that happens every February on college campuses across the United States. It brings awareness to violence against women that occurs daily and worldwide. Regis first hosted this event two years ago, making this the third V-day held on campus. Last year and this year, I felt not only angered that all these things are happening in our society, but also empowered as a woman advocating for change. On February 9, V-Day was held in the Mountain View Room at Regis.
Jalisa Williams, Regis’ new Violence Prevention Coordinator as of September 2016, welcomed everyone to the event and exclaimed that she “has no words for how happy she is.” Over the past several months, Jalisa has been working intensively with a group of heavily involved students to ensure the event of V-Day ran smoothly. Every reader and person that helped with V-Day was delighted to help in any way possible. Each contributor cares about this event and wants to help the rest of Regis become as passionate about V-Day as they are. We want to bring awareness to these issues because they do not only impact people across the world - they impact all students, faculty, and staff here at Regis. Issues of violence happen on this campus and we need to talk about it. Jalisa encourages every single one of us to talk; to discuss the issues that the world faces together as well as the issues that we face individually.
During the event, there were twelve readings and two public service announcements. There were seventeen readers, a director, and many others that helped and supported this event. Many of the passages came from Eve Ensler’s A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer, but several were personal stories written by Regis students. Throughout the night there were tears and laughter that united the room in emotion. People listened to the stories that were shared and thought of those that have suffered. We must listen and be there for our loved ones as well as all those that are suffering who we do not know. We must talk about the issues that affect us at Regis and billions of other people around the world.
Frances Meng-Frecker Staff Reporter