GGE - Community Events

Press Release
Celebrating Activism, Community, and the Arts
Brooklyn Hosts the Third Annual Gender Equality Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2008

CONTACT: Megan Huppuch (718) 857-1393 or sisters@ggenyc.org

(Brooklyn, NY – July 24, 2008) Saturday, July 19, in extreme heat, over 300 New Yorkers celebrated activism and the arts at Girls for Gender Equity’s Third Annual Gender Equality Festival in Brooklyn’s Von King Park.

With over 50 community organizations represented and dozens of performances by local artists, the festival demonstrated that central Brooklyn is full of groups and individuals actively fighting for women’s rights. Performers included recording artist Baron, Congressman Ed Towns, Afrikumba Utibe’ Drummers, as well as youth performing poetry and original theatre pieces. Freeborn from Movement in Motion, with his fist in the air, chanted “Women’s rights. Women’s power.” Several organizations also took the stage to inform the crowd about the work that they do. Everyone at the festival learned about a variety of topics including safer sex practices, the importance of exercise, how to respond to street harassment, ending police violence, reproductive justice, and more.

“This was a very positive environment; an opportunity to meet with the public and exchange information with the youth. It was a nice way to get the concepts of equity, health, education and community services with arts in the background,” said Ms. A.E. Butler, Admissions Director for Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF).

Rachel Stern, from New York Academy of Medicine’s Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP) said she appreciated “the diverse group of people – young and old, all different races and ethnicities.”

Diane Rideout from Single Stop, Family Dynamics said the event was, "a true blessing...It bridges community."

The festival was held in celebration of those who organize for a diverse and equal world everyday. Included in those tireless organizers are Girls for Gender Equity’s own Sisters in Strength teen interns. During the festival they presented the findings from their groundbreaking research on sexual harassment in NYC schools. As the first high school lead Participatory Action Research project on the topic, they announced their goals as raising awareness about students’ experiences of harassment and making recommendations for change. Girls for Gender Equity is forming a coalition to address this crucial issue, and extends an invitation to organizations interested in participating in this effort.

Girls for Gender Equity is a grassroots organization that advocates for the rights of girls and women by providing them with opportunities to live self-determined lives and organizing to affect social change. To get involved or find out more about their work, visit www.ggenyc.org or email sisters@ggenyc.org.

Click on the thumbnails below to view pictures from this event!

Third Annual New York City Gender Equality Festival
A celebration of arts and activism, taking place Saturday July 19th in Von King Park, Central Brooklyn.
Saturday July 19, 2008
10 am – 3pm, FREE!

Von King Park (Tompkins Park), Bedstuy, Brooklyn
Between Tompkins + Marcy at Lafayette
Subway: G to Bedford-Nostrand, A/C to Nostrand
Bus: B43 to Lafayette + Tompkins, B44 to Lafayette, B53 to Tompkins Ave.

A free public event open to New Yorkers of all ages and genders. Over 100 community artists, organizations, and local politicians will come together to celebrate everyday activism, offering inspirational performances and important information. Bring your family and friends to celebrate a day of Singers, Dancers, Poets, Community, Raffles, and more!

Then join us afterwards......