Breaking the silence!
Domestic violence and sexual abuse are often called "women’s issues.” But in this bold, blunt talk, Jackson Katz points out that these are intrinsically men’s issues -- and shows how these violent behaviors are tied to definitions of manhood. A clarion call for us all -- women and men -- to call out unacceptable behavior and be leaders of change.
http://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue.html?utm_campaign=&awesm=on.ted.com_JacksonKatz&utm_content=awesm-publisher&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=on.ted.com-static
UMD Alternative Spring Break in Knoxville, TN bringing awareness to domestic violence.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Post-Trip Service and Awareness Event
Now that we have returned from our trip we are all still trying to BREAK the SILENCE surrounding domestic violence. The day before Maryland Day some of us headed over to Mckeldin Mall to chalk, our favorite way to ignite conversation about the issue of domestic violence. We chatted with a few people and Testudo even appeared and helped us out! Amber, one of the participants who will be leading the Knoxville trip next year, recently put on an Awareness event concerning domestic violence for her class. At the end of the talk, we rolled up tiny sheets of paper with facts and help numbers concerning domestic violence and hid them in empty lipstick tubes. This is a tactic that some domestic violence help centers use to provide their clients with safe references; potential abusers often don't look inside of lipstick tubes for help resources. Keep an eye out around campus for Amber's lipstick campaign! Here are a few pictures of the awareness event and our post trip service
!
Continuing to Break the Silence
This afternoon a few of us attended a social seminar focusing on the issue of domestic violence. This seminar was led by one of our own group members- Amber Ferguson. We began the event by eating some delicious food supplied from Moby Dick's. After we ate Amber began by introducing the issue of domestic violence and encouraging the audience to be interactive. We talked about different forms of domestic/intimate partner violence including cyber stalking. We then discussed some of the myths relating to this issue and our feelings about whether or not we believed it to be true. One of the myths we discussed was the idea that alcohol/drugs cause people to become violent. I responded on this myth because although I know it is not true I do believe that it is very prevalent and is often used as a scapegoat for perpetrators. We ended the event by doing a fun activity to help spread awareness. As we have learned it is important for people to become aware and feel comfortable reaching out for help. To do this we rolled up little sheets of paper that had contact information and places that offer services to victims and stuck them inside of empty lipstick containers. Everyone who attended the event took some of the lipsticks to hand out to people on campus. This was a creative way to spread awareness and we had fun doing it! Overall, it was a fun event that brought a few of us back together to focus on the same goal: breaking the silence. Although domestic violence is a very large issue it is little steps like this that can add up to make a difference! Our trip is over but our desire to keep making a difference on this issue will be with us forever. Thank you Amber for putting on this event!
Friday, April 26, 2013
Post-Trip Service At Its Finest
I had an absolute blast participating in our domestic violence service work down in Knoxville with my lovely ASB ladies, and I really thought that such an amazing experience could never be duplicated. But after today, I've realized how wrong I was.
It began with a few of us meeting in Hornbake Plaza at the University of Maryland. We had one box of chalk, some facts and figures, and a vision in our heads. Soon Shahana, Abbey, Nicole, Lisa, and I set to work transforming the circle into a colorful monument to domestic violence victims by educating passersby on various statistics related to such abuse.
After a few more of our group joined in, mainly, Jackie, Mary, Sydney, Mia, and Amber, we headed down to McKeldin mall where we continued to write statistics and shocking messages along the sidewalk. Many people were taking interest and it felt unbelievable to capture their attention with a message and topic that desperately needs more awareness.
The main reason as to why this was such a meaningful activity was because it mirrored the service we all performed down in Knoxville. We had chalked in Market Square two days of our visit and had a great time getting to know each other while helping other people to get to know our cause. And today, while other people still got to know our cause, we got to reconnect and reestablish ourselves in each others' lives.
I never thought what we achieved in Knoxville could be repeated, but if all of us continue meeting and dedicating ourselves to the cause and each other, there's nothing we can't do.
It began with a few of us meeting in Hornbake Plaza at the University of Maryland. We had one box of chalk, some facts and figures, and a vision in our heads. Soon Shahana, Abbey, Nicole, Lisa, and I set to work transforming the circle into a colorful monument to domestic violence victims by educating passersby on various statistics related to such abuse.
After a few more of our group joined in, mainly, Jackie, Mary, Sydney, Mia, and Amber, we headed down to McKeldin mall where we continued to write statistics and shocking messages along the sidewalk. Many people were taking interest and it felt unbelievable to capture their attention with a message and topic that desperately needs more awareness.
The main reason as to why this was such a meaningful activity was because it mirrored the service we all performed down in Knoxville. We had chalked in Market Square two days of our visit and had a great time getting to know each other while helping other people to get to know our cause. And today, while other people still got to know our cause, we got to reconnect and reestablish ourselves in each others' lives.
I never thought what we achieved in Knoxville could be repeated, but if all of us continue meeting and dedicating ourselves to the cause and each other, there's nothing we can't do.
Monday, April 15, 2013
AB Reunion
Today we had AB
Reunion. All of the Alternative Break teams got together to share our
experience.
AB interns,
coordinators, and alumni gave us the speeches. We got to know that there will be
a resource packet which includes everything related to the AB trips. Videos
from all groups were played on the big screen.
We also did some
activities together.
First, we did a reflection where we tried to think about
our values, what we did during the trip and what we are going to do after the
trip. And we tried to relate them together.
Second, We read and signed the pledge together.
"I am a Breaker and
I am an active member of my community.
I pledge…
To stay connected to
my community
To remember my
Alternative Breaks experience, the people I met, and the communities I served.
To deepen my
understanding of the social, political ad economic structures of our world.
To think critically
about how social justice issues affect people and communities
To take actions that
will change the world to be more socially just.
I pledge to carry
this commitment with me this year & beyond. "
Last, we broke into
groups. We talked about the plan of chalking on Maryland Day.
It was good to see
some of us and to see other Alternative Breakers. I'm looking forward to seeing all of us again!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
"Our friendships will be the start of a movement!"
Today marked the end of a very eye-opening, emotional, at times disturbing, but most of all an extremely positive trip, filled with new insights, open discussions, deep reflections, and most importantly, new bonds and friendships that will last a very long time.
Our nine-hour drive back from Knoxville was notably different from the one down just seven days ago. We were now best friends, having witnessed and experienced a lot together, and for many of us, opened up about our own personal experiences. This may sound biased, but I don't think any other group has formed the level of closeness that we have within this week.
To be honest, I knew we would get along the very first day. Each of us brought our own unique perspectives, personalities, quirks, and stories into one common passion and this mix just blended so well! The amount of trust and support we had for each other was personally inspiring for me, and I hope to bring everything I've learned from this experience into every new relationship I form from here.
As we'd discussed, domestic violence is a serious issue that is not talked about enough because it is fraught with unnecessary stigmas and misleading information, leaving many voices unheard. On this trip, I met people and heard stories from a variety of backgrounds, and I cannot applaud enough the strength and courage in the people I had the honor to meet. It is this strength that has inspired me to be an advocate and do everything I can in my ability to Break The Silence.
I honestly cannot ask for a better group of people to fight this injustice with; I am so glad I met you all. Here's to much much more of chalking, flyering, frank discussions, lunches and dinners, thrift-shopping, peanut-butter eating, Zumba-ing (yes, I'll do it this time), sleepovers and movie nights! Oh, and we still need to go to a concert together!
Love you all <3
Our nine-hour drive back from Knoxville was notably different from the one down just seven days ago. We were now best friends, having witnessed and experienced a lot together, and for many of us, opened up about our own personal experiences. This may sound biased, but I don't think any other group has formed the level of closeness that we have within this week.
To be honest, I knew we would get along the very first day. Each of us brought our own unique perspectives, personalities, quirks, and stories into one common passion and this mix just blended so well! The amount of trust and support we had for each other was personally inspiring for me, and I hope to bring everything I've learned from this experience into every new relationship I form from here.
As we'd discussed, domestic violence is a serious issue that is not talked about enough because it is fraught with unnecessary stigmas and misleading information, leaving many voices unheard. On this trip, I met people and heard stories from a variety of backgrounds, and I cannot applaud enough the strength and courage in the people I had the honor to meet. It is this strength that has inspired me to be an advocate and do everything I can in my ability to Break The Silence.
I honestly cannot ask for a better group of people to fight this injustice with; I am so glad I met you all. Here's to much much more of chalking, flyering, frank discussions, lunches and dinners, thrift-shopping, peanut-butter eating, Zumba-ing (yes, I'll do it this time), sleepovers and movie nights! Oh, and we still need to go to a concert together!
Love you all <3
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Inmates and Insights
Today began in the Blount County courthouse where we listened to presentations on the dangers of technology, elder abuse, and the presence of domestic violence. We also got to sit in on a few domestic violence trials in the court and speak to the judge about his viewpoints on the situation. They engaged us in the action, kept the conversation friendly, and provided great food which we couldn't stay away from (I know I will dream of those biscuits tonight).
We decided to end the visit with a tour of the jail. It was a bit disturbing to see first hand what kind of conditions the inmates were subjected to, and kind of put a damper on the night for a lot of us. But, it also lead to a great discussion about how we need to balance punishment with humanity.
Thankfully, to mellow out the mood, we decided to play a game and bake cookies at the end of the night. While I sadly succeed in burning the bottoms of a few cookies, the first impressions game was a complete success. We went through our group and chose one person to talk about and share our first impression of them. But soon it just became a chance to tell how and why we love each other so much.
Our topic, domestic violence, is a very personal issue for a lot of people, and that only served to bring us closer together. With so much tension and worry, we all needed each other in a way that no other group could ever relate to. And with all of the positive thoughts and loving messages flowing, I have never been so proud to be a part of anything. While it felt great to receive the comments, and be described as an intelligent Pooh Bear, it felt even better to give those compliments. I truly love each and every one of these girls and feel so blessed to have been put on this trip. They all bring something unique and absolutely essential to our mission, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for being exactly who they are.
We decided to end the visit with a tour of the jail. It was a bit disturbing to see first hand what kind of conditions the inmates were subjected to, and kind of put a damper on the night for a lot of us. But, it also lead to a great discussion about how we need to balance punishment with humanity.
Thankfully, to mellow out the mood, we decided to play a game and bake cookies at the end of the night. While I sadly succeed in burning the bottoms of a few cookies, the first impressions game was a complete success. We went through our group and chose one person to talk about and share our first impression of them. But soon it just became a chance to tell how and why we love each other so much.
Our topic, domestic violence, is a very personal issue for a lot of people, and that only served to bring us closer together. With so much tension and worry, we all needed each other in a way that no other group could ever relate to. And with all of the positive thoughts and loving messages flowing, I have never been so proud to be a part of anything. While it felt great to receive the comments, and be described as an intelligent Pooh Bear, it felt even better to give those compliments. I truly love each and every one of these girls and feel so blessed to have been put on this trip. They all bring something unique and absolutely essential to our mission, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for being exactly who they are.
Blob Tag, Peeps, & General Group Cohesion
As Mary described in the previous post, today we focused on issue education at the Domestic Violence Forum hosted by the Blount County Sheriff's Office. It was an intense experience to say the least, and affected all of us at many different levels. It's no wonder we spent nearly two hours in discussion after dinner-- there was A LOT to reflect on.
To lighten things up, I thought it would be fun to post a few of the random pics that made it to my camera this week:
To lighten things up, I thought it would be fun to post a few of the random pics that made it to my camera this week:
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| Reenergized after Blob Tag |
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| Cupcake Decorating with PEEPS! |
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| Post-Zumba with our instructor, Becky! |
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| Playing Apples to Apples |
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| Practicing our group problem solving skills |
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| "Bedpan Banjo" at the Museum of Appalachia |
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| The infamous "Chicken Man" (as seen on the Tonight Show!) performing as Willie Nelson |
Focusing on the legal side of the issue...
Today we were part of a Domestic Violence Forum hosted by the Blount County Sheriff's Office. We heard about many different issues and experienced many different emotions. The forum began with a delicious breakfast and an introduction by Blount Memorial Hospital Director of Senior Services, Ed Harper. Following his intro we discussed the issue of privacy among social networking sites and social media and were provided tips about how to avoid putting ourselves in vulnerable situations. We then heard the law enforcement and patrol perspective of the domestic violence issue from Sgt. Keith Fletcher of the Alcoa Police Department. It was interesting to hear the challenges and viewpoints from the person called to intervene during a domestic dispute. After hearing from Sgt. Fletcher we took a break from the speakers and headed down to the court room to observe some court cases pertaining to Domestic Violence and Orders of Protection.
As we filed into the court room is was more empty than I expected. Shortly after we sat down they brought up the first case. Over the course of about five cases we saw a variety of domestic violence dynamics. This included a wife with an Order of Protection against her husband, a husband with an Order of Protection against his wife, and a young male inmate who had violated his Order of Protection against his younger girlfriend. It was very interesting to hear and see all the different scenarios because it helped many of us expand our perception on the people involved with Domestic Violence. After watching a few of these cases we headed back upstairs to complete the rest of the forum and eat lunch!
Lunch was delicious! We walked back into a room with tables filled with grilled tuna, grilled chicken, salad, pasta, rolls, fruits, veggies, and cookies. There was quite a spread and we all really enjoyed it. As we ate our lunch the judge whose court we had just been in came up to speak with us and answer any questions we had. Judge Robert Headrick was the highlight of the day for many of us! He was extremely welcoming and appreciative of our group being in town. He was eager to provide us with a deeper insight into what he does. After a great discussion he headed back downstairs to proceed with his docket and we continued on with our forum. The rest of the forum became filled with alot of heavy and emotional material. We saw images of victims who had been killed by their partner as well as alot of images of the terrible injuries that some victims have suffered. It was disturbing yet opened our eyes to the reality of it all. We also discussed elder abuse and heard a Deputy's story and her personal connection to the issue of Domestic Violence. Upon the conclusion of this forum we were given a tour of the Blount County Jail. Through this tour we saw the entire inside of the jail and learned how the jail operated and the lifestyle of the inmates in the jail. Again, this was an extremely emotional and eye-opening experience. After the tour we headed back to the cars and back to the church.
When we got back to the church alot of people needed a little break from the day. We had some free time to relax and nap before it was time for dinner and reflection. After our break we headed downstairs and ate dinner. As we ate we reflected upon the day and shared our "highs" and "lows". It was great to release our feelings and emotions from the day with each other and it brought us even closer! After over an hour of reflection we cleaned up and headed back upstairs. Everyone began winding down and getting things ready for tomorrow! Overall, today was an emotionally and mentally challenging day but one that provided alot of us with an experience that we will take with us for the rest of our lives! I cannot believe tomorrow is our last day! This week has gone by too fast but I am excited to see what tomorrow holds in store for us!
Encouraging Discouragement
Today, we headed to Market Square in downtown Knoxville to resurrect our messages of chalk the rain washed away from Monday. As much as I dislike chalking, I did love watching a handful of the girls display their artistic abilities through the colorful dust. A couple of us were also successful with spreading information on services offer to the community through the YWCA, unfortunately I wasn't a part of this group either but I learned a lot from watching them!
We were encouraged to watch passersby reading the many facts on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking offered to us by the YWCA. It is definitely an effective and attractive way to inform the Knoxville community on a relevant issue that is often pushed under the rug.
For the afternoon event, we headed to the YWCA branch that houses the after school program for middle school students. We spent quality time creating an effective skit for them focusing on sexting, respecting authority, isolation, and saying no. Unfortunately the behavior of the children weren't cohesive with the skit, but we were still proud of the performance and our efforts.
The one thing we walked away understanding was that we are truly privileged to be apart of such an edifying environment at the University of Maryland and not everyone receives the same opportunities we do. We also noticed the limited resources the YWCA has to distribute to these students. There is such a high need but it also appears to be a low priority. It is also easy to criticize and suggest from the outside, but interacting with the kids let us know that there is a lot to be done.
The experience it self was discouraging because of the situation the students are in and the lifestyles they lead, but it was encouraging to know we are in a position to empower them and improve ourselves in order to advance them in the future.
The most appreciated reflection of the day is how supportive and comfortable we are as group. Everyday we are growing closer and breaking down walls of injustice in the Knoxville community, but also the stereotypical walls that we had of each other at the start of this trip.
The last few days are going to make it harder to leave this city and this group!
Here is a surprise we found at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday:
We were encouraged to watch passersby reading the many facts on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking offered to us by the YWCA. It is definitely an effective and attractive way to inform the Knoxville community on a relevant issue that is often pushed under the rug.
For the afternoon event, we headed to the YWCA branch that houses the after school program for middle school students. We spent quality time creating an effective skit for them focusing on sexting, respecting authority, isolation, and saying no. Unfortunately the behavior of the children weren't cohesive with the skit, but we were still proud of the performance and our efforts.
The one thing we walked away understanding was that we are truly privileged to be apart of such an edifying environment at the University of Maryland and not everyone receives the same opportunities we do. We also noticed the limited resources the YWCA has to distribute to these students. There is such a high need but it also appears to be a low priority. It is also easy to criticize and suggest from the outside, but interacting with the kids let us know that there is a lot to be done.
The experience it self was discouraging because of the situation the students are in and the lifestyles they lead, but it was encouraging to know we are in a position to empower them and improve ourselves in order to advance them in the future.
The most appreciated reflection of the day is how supportive and comfortable we are as group. Everyday we are growing closer and breaking down walls of injustice in the Knoxville community, but also the stereotypical walls that we had of each other at the start of this trip.
The last few days are going to make it harder to leave this city and this group!
Here is a surprise we found at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday:
Some pictures from downtown Knoxville:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Get to Know Knoxville.
Our team got to know our host city for the week, Knoxville, TN, today. It was such an eclectic, vibrant and historic city. Our group had so much fun exploring the University of Tennessee, and the downtown area. Here are some photos that showcase our experience:
This is me, posing with some statues in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. As evident in the picture, I was really excited to get the chance to look around in there.
Today, we met students who attend the University of Tennessee and are actively involved with the service center on their campus. In fact, some of these guys are headed to DC next week for their very own Alternative Spring Break!
We got to ride in style on the Knoxville Trolley. We felt so classy riding around town. The best part: it was free.
We found Alyssa Thomas' jersey hanging in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. GO TERPS!
Some of our beautiful ladies stopped to pose in front of a funky bistro located in the 'Old City' section of downtown Knoxville.
Uh-oh, we have some troublemakers...just kidding. These ladies are wonderful!
We are having so much fun in Knoxville, TN! Up next, we are going back downtown to spread awareness on the issue of domestic violence and might some educate some middle schoolers, as well. I cannot wait to see what the rest of this week holds.
Today was definitely a day that we'll all remember as a great day! After some rain yesterday, we were more than thrilled to explore the University of Tennessee in perfect weather. We did so much today, so I'll start from the beginning! We started off the day by going to a self-defense class. That was A LOT of fun!!! We learned so many helpful techniques that could be really useful if we were ever put in a sexual assault situation. Even though that's a scary situation to think about, it's important to be aware of what we can do to escape. Our instructors had the perfect combination of being hilarious and informative, which made it an awesome experience. Too many women fall victim to this misfortune which is why it is so important that we all know how to protect ourselves. After that, we took a tour of campus, had lunch with some really friendly UT students, and then did some souvenir shopping at the UT bookstore.
From there, we had an amazing view of the city from the Sun Sphere at the World Fair. After that, we went to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. We ended that trip by shooting some basketballs and playing a fun game of Knock Out. Then, we were off to venture the city of Knoxville. We were able to get around by using UT's bus system which were really cute trolleys! We went to Old City, visited some thrift shops and into a really cool antiques store. After, we went to Market Square and enjoyed the sunshine together. To top it all off, we ended the day with a DELICIOUS dinner-eggs, bacon, and pancakes!! It was a great Tuesday :)
From there, we had an amazing view of the city from the Sun Sphere at the World Fair. After that, we went to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. We ended that trip by shooting some basketballs and playing a fun game of Knock Out. Then, we were off to venture the city of Knoxville. We were able to get around by using UT's bus system which were really cute trolleys! We went to Old City, visited some thrift shops and into a really cool antiques store. After, we went to Market Square and enjoyed the sunshine together. To top it all off, we ended the day with a DELICIOUS dinner-eggs, bacon, and pancakes!! It was a great Tuesday :)
TUES: Exploring Knoxville
Today we...
- Self defense class courtesy of the UT Police Department
- World's Fair Park and the Sunsphere
- Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
- Historic Downtown and Market Square
Monday, March 18, 2013
Teamwork and Service Work
Today our group arrived at the YWCA to help spread the word about the issue of domestic violence, while cleaning the kitchen and painting some furniture along the way. Part of this trip included performing a skit for the residents and facilitating a discussion about healthy and unhealthy relationships.
I am a control freak. I like schedules. I like to know what we will be doing, when we will be doing it, and what role everyone will be playing. Ask me to make a play in 2 hours and I will demand perfection and be disappointed when I don't receive it. Well today my ASB group did the impossible, they taught me how to calm my anxious and controlling nerves and create something truly meaningful as a team.
We all had our own ideas about what we wanted to portray in the skits. Some people had general instances they wanted to incorporate, and others had a specific format they thought we should follow. I sat back and held in the urge to dictate everything, and thank goodness I did because the ideas my group members had were fantastic. All of these people come from so many different backgrounds with so many different experiences, and due in part to that, they were able to create a skit on an unhealthy relationship which contained as much information, emotion, and heart as I could imagine.
And boy did the residents respond! I wasn't expecting much of a turn out but I was so proud of our work and grateful that we could share our take on the situation with others who had lived through similar experiences. They were interested in a conversation with us and soon we were all sharing our views and expressing the urgent need to have this issue solved.
I love the work that we created today and I have found inspiration in the YWCA residents and my fellow teammates.
P.S. Watch the video, it's attached as a Facebook link below. And look out for yours truly as the narrator!
I am a control freak. I like schedules. I like to know what we will be doing, when we will be doing it, and what role everyone will be playing. Ask me to make a play in 2 hours and I will demand perfection and be disappointed when I don't receive it. Well today my ASB group did the impossible, they taught me how to calm my anxious and controlling nerves and create something truly meaningful as a team.
We all had our own ideas about what we wanted to portray in the skits. Some people had general instances they wanted to incorporate, and others had a specific format they thought we should follow. I sat back and held in the urge to dictate everything, and thank goodness I did because the ideas my group members had were fantastic. All of these people come from so many different backgrounds with so many different experiences, and due in part to that, they were able to create a skit on an unhealthy relationship which contained as much information, emotion, and heart as I could imagine.
And boy did the residents respond! I wasn't expecting much of a turn out but I was so proud of our work and grateful that we could share our take on the situation with others who had lived through similar experiences. They were interested in a conversation with us and soon we were all sharing our views and expressing the urgent need to have this issue solved.
I love the work that we created today and I have found inspiration in the YWCA residents and my fellow teammates.
P.S. Watch the video, it's attached as a Facebook link below. And look out for yours truly as the narrator!
Sunday: Norris Dam State Park
After the Museum of Appalachia our group headed to Norris Dam State Park. It started out pretty exciting because we ended up using the back entrance. We ended up on this winding gravel road that at certain points I was sure that the vans would roll off the road, they didn't. The park was beautiful! We walked by the river, saw the dam, took pictures, and even got to pet a puppy. One of the cool things about the park was that they had a free museum that on Sunday from 2 to 5 the had a free Blue-Grass concert. These were some of the most talented musician I have ever seen and they were 3 to 4 times my age. At one point on of the musician was talking to a women who was 97 years old. He asked her if she remembered the flight of Amelia Earhart and she said yes. This was a very touching moment and made me appreciate the history we had seen today even more. Apparently word got around that we were from Maryland because they honored us by letting me speak a few words about the program. I was about to sit down when the rest of the group (who know I can sing because I keep singing Les Misérables all the time) insisted I sing a song. I said I can also play guitar at which point on of the musician handed me his guitar. This was my first performance in front of an actual audience. I loved it, it is one of the best moments in my entire life! Afterwards I was given genuine applause and complements which made the experience all the more wonderful. We also saw chicken-man from Jay Leno but, at that point, that meant nothing to me. This trip is Amazing!
A Day of Chalk, Grease, and Inspiration
Today we had the awesome experience of working with one of our partners for this trip, the YWCA of Knoxville. We started out on a mission to chalk Market Square with facts and statistics about domestic violence. I had a great time with Mary as my co-chalker writing different stats on the sidewalk so that others could read and learn about the issue during their day to day lives. I think that making the issue a normal conversation topic is one of the first steps towards breaking the silence that surrounds and perpetuates domestic violence. Unfortunately, it rained later in the day though, because our efforts were washed away.
The rain, in my eyes, turned out to be a blessing. Since we had to pack up our chalking efforts early, we were able to clean some of the YWCA. I helped clean some of the kitchen, using my little steel wool pad to scrub away the grease on the side of the oven. I felt really bad for our fearless leader, Nick, who took on the arduous task of cleaning the grease trap. I am surprised he's not still scrubbing! Cleaning and helping sort through, fold and hang clothing donations was such a rewarding part of this trip. A few of the residents of the YWCA came down and saw us cleaning and seemed truly appreciative of our work. Just knowing that I could help these women, many of whom are survivors of domestic violence, is something that I can cherish for the rest of my life.
The best part of the day though, was definitely creating and performing our skit for the women who resided at the YWCA. We were trying to show the different stages of unhealthy relationships: seduction, isolation, threat of violence, and finally aggression/violence. I have learned about the stages and the factors involved in domestic violence in so many of my psychology and women's studies classes, but it was just so awesome to come together with everyone on the trip to put on an interactive performance for the residents at the YWCA. I had such a fun time creating the skit and watching all of the pieces and ideas that everyone had come together. It takes a great group of people to be able to listen and work collaboratively to achieve a goal. I wish all of my group projects for class could go this smoothly!
We also had an incredibly inspiring discussion with some of the women who had experienced some level of violence. I was amazed at how willing they were to talk with us and share advice and knowledge they had. They are a truly remarkable group of women. Some of what I hope to do later in life is to work with women in emotionally abusive relationships or dating cycles, and listening to these women talk, for me, was a huge confirmation that I want to spend my life reaching out and helping survivors in any way I can.
I think I am about out of my ramble space, so I'll finish up. I will try to get Sydney (our other fearless leader), to post the video of our performance. I am sure pictures will also be posted, so stay tuned!
--Jackie
The rain, in my eyes, turned out to be a blessing. Since we had to pack up our chalking efforts early, we were able to clean some of the YWCA. I helped clean some of the kitchen, using my little steel wool pad to scrub away the grease on the side of the oven. I felt really bad for our fearless leader, Nick, who took on the arduous task of cleaning the grease trap. I am surprised he's not still scrubbing! Cleaning and helping sort through, fold and hang clothing donations was such a rewarding part of this trip. A few of the residents of the YWCA came down and saw us cleaning and seemed truly appreciative of our work. Just knowing that I could help these women, many of whom are survivors of domestic violence, is something that I can cherish for the rest of my life.
The best part of the day though, was definitely creating and performing our skit for the women who resided at the YWCA. We were trying to show the different stages of unhealthy relationships: seduction, isolation, threat of violence, and finally aggression/violence. I have learned about the stages and the factors involved in domestic violence in so many of my psychology and women's studies classes, but it was just so awesome to come together with everyone on the trip to put on an interactive performance for the residents at the YWCA. I had such a fun time creating the skit and watching all of the pieces and ideas that everyone had come together. It takes a great group of people to be able to listen and work collaboratively to achieve a goal. I wish all of my group projects for class could go this smoothly!
We also had an incredibly inspiring discussion with some of the women who had experienced some level of violence. I was amazed at how willing they were to talk with us and share advice and knowledge they had. They are a truly remarkable group of women. Some of what I hope to do later in life is to work with women in emotionally abusive relationships or dating cycles, and listening to these women talk, for me, was a huge confirmation that I want to spend my life reaching out and helping survivors in any way I can.
I think I am about out of my ramble space, so I'll finish up. I will try to get Sydney (our other fearless leader), to post the video of our performance. I am sure pictures will also be posted, so stay tuned!
--Jackie
MON: YWCA
Today we traveled into Knoxville proper to work with our community partner the YWCA.
A sampling of the things that we did today:
A sampling of the things that we did today:
- Chalking
- Cleaning the kitchen and gym
- Painting furniture
- Learning about their transitional housing program
- Putting on a skit to bring domestic violence awareness to residents and staff
Cleanin' Chairs
As a thank you to Concord United Methodist Church for letting us stay with them for free while we perform our service in Knoxville, we cleaned over 500 of their chairs on Sunday night! Whoo!
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