REGIONAL CALENDAR
April 2019
A S.W.E.E.T. EXPERIENCE...
We began the month of April with our annual Spring Conference, themed this year: The Future is S.W.E.E.T.
Together on the outskirts of Booming and Bustling Atlanta, the ladies of the Gulf Coast Region gathered to celebrate Sisterhood in
Service, Womanhood, Empowerment, Education, and Tenacity with our brothers of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. and to plan for the future of our region. Socials, service projects, workshops,
fellowship, and business meetings were the agenda for the weekend and the Gracious ladies of the GCR took it on full force and with SWEET style!
Though our numbers be few, we have embraced the vision for ISI set before us by our leadership with one solid goal: rebuilding.
April 21st
Happy Birthday Regional President Tikheta Johnson!
Happy 20th Sweetaversary
Sweetheart Roshe’ Hill
April 22nd
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
2019 marks the official 18th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month — but did you know we can trace its history even longer? Even before its official declaration, SAAM was about both awareness and prevention of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. Looking at the history of the movement to end sexual violence, it’s clear why: It’s impossible to prevent an issue no one knows about, and it’s difficult to make people aware of a problem without providing a solution. The two work in tandem, and they always have. From the civil rights movement to the founding of the first rape crisis centers to national legislation and beyond, the roots of SAAM run deep. As long as there have been people who care about making the world a better place, there have been individuals advocating for sexual assault prevention. In the United States, movements for social change and equality began to gain traction in the 1940s and 50s with the civil rights era. Although open discussion of the realities of sexual assault and domestic violence were limited at these times, activists for equal rights began to challenge the status quo. Efforts during this time were championed by Black women and women of color. Advocates like Rosa Parks worked at the intersections of race-based and gender-based violence (a framework that years later in 1989, advocate and professor Kimberlé Crenshaw would call “intersectionality”). Wide social activism around the issue of sexual assault continued into the 1970s, bringing with it support for survivors and heightened awareness. The first rape crisis center was founded in San Francisco in 1971, the same city where the first U.S. Take Back the Night event was held seven years later. The following decades mobilized survivors and advocates to call for legislation and funding that would support survivors, such as the Violence Against Women Act of 1993 (VAWA). Monumental changes like VAWA demonstrated that national efforts promoting sexual violence prevention were needed. Even before SAAM was first nationally observed in 2001, advocates had been holding events, marches, and observances related to sexual violence during the month of April, sometimes during a week-long “Sexual Assault Awareness Week.” In an effort to further coordinate awareness and prevention efforts, in 2000, the newly launched National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the Resource Sharing Project polled sexual violence coalitions. They asked organizations about their preferred color, symbol, and month for sexual assault awareness activities. The results showed that those in the movement preferred a teal ribbon as a symbol
for sexual assault awareness, and SAAM as we know it was born. The Atlanta Professional Chapter has adopted BELOVED ATLANTA, a 2-year residential home and program based in Atlanta for adult women affected by sexual exploitation. Help our GCR sisters support them by donating to the shelter at www.belovedatlanta.org/donate.
Information and photo provided by https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/history.
COMMUNITY SERVICE FORMS Your cries have been heard and the community service committee is working hard to make adjustments to the forms for reporting service. There are now
TWO FORMS
for reports: one for community service (physical hours) and one for monetary donations. Use the following links to report service:
- Community service: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekUMv8wMdOA_qx4DFTDYiqtrgDfoYkOhSz Kicm7WoPoCEbpw/viewform?embedded=true
- Monetary donations:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgk6-MAoueyUOSl9ed6DhW4TG2xG2QA79z QoiFPg6A4lacMw/viewform
Also please remember to submit your hours within 2 weeks of completing the service and be sure to send pictures and receipts for verification of your service.
Direct any questions you may have to gcrsweet.communityservicedirec@gmail.com
DUE DATES FOR NEWSLETTER/CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Make sure your chapters highlights, events, and news make it into our newsletter by not missing the due date for submissions:
THE 25TH OF EACH MONTH! Here’s a few reminders about submissions:
● Any piece you want submitted should be submitted fully written! We will only published what you have written!
● Events suitable for submission include: ○ Fundraisers and Community service projects ○ Social gatherings ○ Birthdays ○ Anniversaries ○ Graduations ○ Sweetheart Anniversaries
● Make sure you include your own pictures with captions (who and what are pictured) as well as who took the pictures if you want any pictures to be featured with your piece!
● All submissions will be reviewed for publications but all may not be published. The sooner you submit your pieces the better!