Thousands of students, community leaders, celebrities and survivors are expected to descend on the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade College (MDC) on Thursday, Feb. 12, to participate in the One Billion Rising (www.onebillionrising.org) movement to end human trafficking and the abuse of women worldwide.
Considered the largest mass action initiative in history, the campaign began as a call to action based on the staggering United Nations statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten and/or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.
Film screenings and panel discussions will take place during the day to address sex trafficking and dating violence. Men and women will come together en masse to drum, dance, and rise in defiance of the injustices women suffer, knowing that ending the violence is within our reach.
More than 30 social service and community organizations will show their support at MDC, the nation’s largest campus- based institution of higher education, which has regularly been the site of important causes and social change. Supporters will take to the streets surrounding the campus and then gather on the campus’ Kyriakides Plaza, 300 NE Second Ave., for music and inspiring words from experts and survivors.
Street Fair, rally and celebration will take place 4-6:30 p.m. A massive group photo is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. immediately followed by street rally march to Biscayne Boulevard and back to Plaza for Dance! Drum! Rise! Celebration.
Event Contacts are Marya Meyer at maryameyer@gmail.com, 305-725-1625, and Lisa Schejola Akin at lschakin@me.com, 1-917-254-9954.
