The 41st annual Take Back the Night rally will be held this Thursday at the University of Oregon.
Keynote speaker Lydia X. Z. Brown will address disability justice. Organizers chose to highlight this community because it’s often left out of the sexual violence conversation.
Organizer Olivia Rodriguez says her eyes were opened through planning this event. She realized how common words like crazy, dumb and stupid are used in everyday language.
“Even we’re implementing that into the women’s center to avoid words like that and go with bananas, which is our personal favorite,” Rodriguez says.
Women’s Center Director Fatima Roohi Pervaiz shares why the event continues after so many years.
“Until we no longer need things like self-defense classes, until we no longer need awareness raising campaigns,” says Pervaiz. “Until that education and that social climate shift happens, we will continue to do these kinds of educational events.”
The rally begins at 6pm at the EMU Amphitheater. More information can be found here.