ONE BILLION RISING: NEW ORLEANS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Viola T. Johnson, communications/public relations
Ashe Cultural Arts Center              
(504) 813-9008
violatjohnson@gmail.com

January 21, 2013, Ashé Cultural Arts Center/New Orleans: On February 14, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., New Orleans' Sisters in the Name of Love and others will join with activists around the world for ONE BILLION RISING, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

ONE BILLION RISING began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. On February 14, 2013, V-Day's 15^th anniversary, New Orleans' Sisters in the Name of Love will join activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men across the world as we express their outrage, demand change, strike, dance, and RISE in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women.

"When we started V-Day 14 years ago, we had the outrageous idea that we could end violence against women," said Ensler. "Now, we are both stunned and thrilled to see that this global action is truly escalating and gaining force, with union workers, parliament members, celebrities, and women of all backgrounds coming forward to join the campaign. When we come together on February 14, 2013 to demand an end to violence against women and girls it will be a truly global voice that will rise up." 

Says Carol Bebelle, co-founder and executive director of Ashé Cultural Arts Center:  "V-Day is offering us such an opportunity. With One Billion Rising, like-minded and hearted people all around the world are agreeing to Strike, Dance and Rise! We are stepping out of our everyday worlds and shutting out everything else, as we dedicate a day to the protection of women and girls everywhere. In solidarity with them, we join millions to celebrate freedom, through dance, and to rise against the benign neglect and quiet acceptance of an intolerable atrocity too big to ignore."

In New Orleans at 11:00 a.m., Sisters in the Name of Love will lead a procession from Ashé Cultural Arts Center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. The march, scheduled to arrive at Congo Square in Armstrong Park at 12:00 noon, will continue there until 2:00 p.m.  The public is invited to assemble for meditation, spoken word, movement and dance.  Then, from 2:30-8:00 p.m., Ashé Cultural Arts Center will host an event that includes music, dance, spoken word, a Red Tent which will incorporate story circles, meditation and self-healing; satellite connections to other events around the world, and more.  At 8:30 p.m. ONE BILLION RISING continues, but moves to Café Istanbul 2372 St. Claude Avenue. 

Marching groups or entertainers who are interested in being included, and for more information, call (504) 569-9070.

More About One Billion Rising
One in three women on the planet is raped or beaten in her lifetime. That is ONE BILLION WOMEN violated; One billion daughters, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, lovers and friends. On February 14, 2013, V-Day's 15th Anniversary, we are inviting ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence. ONE BILLION RISING will move the earth, activating women and men to dance across every country. V-Day wants the world to see our collective strength, our numbers and our solidarity across borders. Join V-Day and ONE BILLION RISING today and SAY NO to violence against women and girls. To sign up and learn more, visit http://www.onebillionrising.org/

About V-Day
V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler's award winning play The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works. In 2012, over 5,800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $90 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, reopened shelters, and funded over 14,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. Over 300 million people have seen a V-Day benefit event in their community. V-Day has received numerous acknowledgements including Worth Magazine's 100 Best Charities, Marie Claire Magazine's Top Ten Charities, one of the Top-Rated organizations on Philanthropedia/Guidestar and Great Nonprofits. V-Day's newest campaign is ONE BILLION RISING which will culminate on 021413 with a global action worldwide. http://www.vday.org/

To learn more about the New Orleans event, call (504) 569-9070, (504) 813-9008, or e-mail violatjohnson@gmail.com.  To learn more about V‑Day and its campaigns, visit http://www.vday.org/.

To schedule an interview or appearance, call Viola T. Johnson at (504) 813-9008.