"Take Back the Night" march & rally at UIS calls for an end to violence against women

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Women's Center and Residence Life will hold the seventh annual Take Back The Night march and rally.

WHEN: Friday, April 25, 2014 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: The candlelight march will start with a brief ceremony near the colonnade on the UIS main quad and progress towards the Lincoln Residence Hall (LRH) Greatroom where a rally will be held.

DETAILS: “Take Back the Night” protests rape and all forms of violence against women. This event empowers women and all people to reclaim their right to be part of the night and the human experience of nighttime. “Take Back the Night” will include survivor stories, poetry, a healing observance, and t-shirts for students who arrive early.

The Clothesline Project and 10 Paper Cranes for Healing the Violence will also be on display. The Clothesline Project is made up of t-shirts telling women’s stories. This is the 20th Anniversary of The Clothesline Project at UIS. The 10 Paper Cranes project was created at UIS last year and is being replicated elsewhere. UIS students created paper cranes streamers, which are dedicated to victims/survivors.

The supporting organizations for the event include the Enos Park Neighborhood Association and the Feminist Activist Coalition of Lincoln Land Community College. Supporting UIS groups include the Asian Student Organization, Black Male Collegiate Society, Black Student Union, Indian Student Organization, Kalanidhi (an Indian Dance Organization), Muslim Student Organization, Necessary Steps Mentoring Program, Organization of Latin American Students, PStarHR, Sisters with Vision, and the Women’s Issues Caucus.

For more information on “Take Back the Night”, contact the UIS Women’s Center at 217/206-7173 or womenscenter@uis.edu.