Wow. I am humbled by everyone's generosity. Thank you all so much for helping me surpass my goal and supporting SFWAR in these difficult times. We are facing a budget cut of $50,000 this next year and your kindness helps us reduce that cut little by little. Someone I know was raped this weekend. Because SFWAR exists, we were able to support her as a member of our community, she knows she's not alone, she knows it wasn't her fault. Today is a powerful day and SFWAR is even stronger because of you.
Thanks to those who donated offline!: Juan C, Gina PB, Ron K, Sharon M, Kelly L, Ado S
much love, Teresa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update: Almost 30% there! You are all so amazing! I've been doing street outreach to let people know about the walk and people are excited! I'll see folks there with my camera in tow. Oh, and great news! Alma will be djing this year! The Women's Building is sponsoring the stage, so give her some love at the dj booth :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SFWAR, without a doubt, is a powerful force for change in people's lives. Every training that we provide, volunteers consistently come to me afterwards sharing stories of how they now had the courage to stand up for someone who was being shut down, how they had the strength to leave an abusive relationship, how they were able to internalize that they are beautiful human beings and deserving of self care.
This transformation passes on to each person we touch, to the parents and loved ones who call on the crisis line, to the survivors who come to the hospital in the middle of the night covered in bruises, to those who come in to receive counseling through our counseling program. Community members who receive services from SFWAR have shared how deeply our committment to survivor centered healing impacted them. How important it was for them that we saw the strength within them and supported them in seeing that strength themselves.
The Walk Against Rape is our opportunity to bring masses of people out into the street to give voice to the strength, courage, and beauty of survivors of sexual assault... to speak our truths and let go of the isolation that trauma brings by coming together in struggle.
I look forward to the day that my child will be able to join me on this walk and I look forward to seeing all of you in the street on April 25th! Please sponsor me as I Walk Against Rape in the hopes that my child will live to see a world without it!
In solidarity,
Teresa