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VDAY IN THE CAPITAL

Valentine’s Day is extra special in the Capital this year!

Today, the VDay Global Movement to end violence against women and girls celebrates 15 years of activism, creativity and feminism inspired by playwright, feminist, activist, Eve Ensler. On International Women’s Day, Friday March 8th and again on Saturday March 9th 2013, at 8PM on the Bronson Centre stage, a volunteer cast of 39 women will perform Ensler’s best known play The Vagina Monologues for VDay Ottawa 2013.  This year’s The Vagina Monologues will showcase CJOH’s Kimothy Walker and Kitchissippi Ward Councillor Katherine Hobbs in Friday and Saturday’s shows, respectively. The proceeds raised will benefit the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa and the One Billion Rising VDay’s Spotlight Campaign.

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What is One Billion Rising?
One Billion Rising is global call to action uniting women and men from 200 countries (and counting!) on February 14th 2013. We will Strike Dance and Rise Up for the more than 1 billion women and girls who will be beaten or raped in their lifetime.

One in Three Women On The Planet Will Be Raped Or Beaten In Her Lifetime. One Billion Women Violated Is An Atrocity. ONE BILLION RISING IS a global strike, an invitation to dance, a call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends, an act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers, a refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given, a new time and a new way of being.

Today, on V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, 14 February 2013, 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 across every country. V-Day wants the world to see our collectivestrength, our numbers, and our solidarity across borders. Join V-Day on 02.14.13.

What does ONE BILLION look like? On 14 February 2013, it will look like a REVOLUTION!

Experience the RISING being live streamed around the world.  Click here.

Celebrating Amazing Ottawa Women and so much more!

Celebrate HER 2012

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, this year features a week of activities centred in Hintonburg, Chinatown and Little Italy (Alpha Soul Cafe, Flo Glassblowing Studio, Patrick John Mills Gallery, Le Michel-Ange & The Daily Grind Art Cafe).  This week-long fine-arts fundraising and awareness campaign will benefit Ottawa’s Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC), “Amazing Women” and local artists.

Now, the centrepiece of this year’s celebration is the Amazing Women Photo Installation at Alpha Soul Cafe showcasing the distinguished honourees.  The final selection of local women being featured include:

  1. Naomi Guzman-Poole (ARTS)
  2. Rebecca Page (BUSINESS)
  3. Michelle Gauthier (NON PROFIT)
  4. Serena Ngai (SCIENCE & TECH)
  5. Gail Carmichael (SCIENCE & TECH)
  6. Isabelle Després (SPORTS)
  7. Kelly Rusk (BUSINESS-SCIENCE & TECH)
  8. Nadine Thornhill (ARTS – EDUCATION)
  9. Krissy White (BUSINESS – ARTS)
  10. Megan Campbell (HEALTH & WELLNESS)
  11. Constance Backhouse (LAW-EDUCATION)
  12. Maria Hawkins (ARTS – EDUCATION)
  13. Jules Hilliker (BUSINESS-HEALTH & WELLNESS)
  14. Jennifer Flanagan (SCIENCE & TECH – EDUCATION)
  15. Jordan Kent-Baas (MEDIA-NON-PROFIT)
  16. Elizabeth Lance (BUSINESS – ARTS)
  17. Dipna Horra (ARTS – EDUCATION)
  18. Leigh Reid & Karen Nielson (NON-PROFIT)

Join us in celebrating these “Amazing Women” during the week- long community festival Celebrate HER 2012, starting this week (March 3 – 10, 2012), and coinciding with International Woman’s Week. Check out our EVENTS page for dates and details on performances through the week, in honour of our distinguished honourees.  Entry to all shows, with the exception of Gala are $5 suggested donation or Pay What You Can (PWYC), so you can’t afford not to go!

Also be sure to RSVP via facebook as we will be drawing attendee names for raffle prizes, each night!   Please visit our DONOR/SPONSOR page to see what prizes have been donated.

March 3rd http://www.facebook.com/events/334931369884992/ Launch
March 3rd http://www.facebook.com/events/296015113787248/ 3Women3Books
March 4th http://www.facebook.com/events/153925184726799/ Arif Jinha
March 5th http://www.facebook.com/events/297642633630012/ Anastasia Filippova
March 6th http://www.facebook.com/events/165516380230498/ Jack Pine + Guests
March 7th http://www.facebook.com/events/299559756764978/  Melody Jewitt + Poets Brandon Wint & Sepideh
*March 8th http://www.facebook.com/events/350634978293153/ Tara Porter, Gabrielle Giguere + Special Guests for *International Women’s Day!
March 9th http://www.facebook.com/events/284657888268581/ Adrian Matte and the Ottawa Folklore Centre Jazz Band
March 10th http://www.facebook.com/events/321774611202024/ Gala

Be sure to join us at Patrick John Mills Contemporary Art Gallery on Saturday, March 10th, 3-6pm, for the Grand Finale Charity Gala.  Enjoy performances by local Capital Slam poet legends Nathanael Larochette and Ikenna “OpenSecret” Onyegbula, as well as neo-folk instrumentalists, Musk Ox.  Indulge in catered delicacies provide by Alpha Soul Cafe, decadent desserts by Cuillère à Sucre and complimentary wine.  Raise your glass in honor of our distinguished guests and celebrate with community.

Also, remember to enter into the Grand Finale Raffle for your chance to win the Grand Prize Raffle items – The “Harmony” Guitar crafted by Dmitry Kulakov of DK Guitars, a three month training package at K2 Martial Arts & Fitness and a two hour live entertainment package with Stairwell Leo.

This festival is 100 percent volunteer-driven, and is possible thanks to generous donations from local businesses, and even ones further afield.  Thank you to all our incredible donors and sponsors for helping to make this event possible.