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First I have to prove to you that I am indeed here in New Orleans with thousands of women celebrating V-Day; so, here's a picture, a gargantuan expression of the vaginal symbol associated with the V-Day movement. It's sitting in the center of the main stage at the Louisiana Superdome. You can see it straight on at this link in a picture taken last night at the The Katrina Monologues: Swimming Upstream production.
Yes, V-Day is a movement, a global movement to end violence against women. Did you know that?
V-Day started with the first benefit production in 1998 of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler to raise money and awareness in the struggle to stop violence against women. Since then "the nonprofit has raised more than $50 million for local anti violence groups with benefit events taking place in over 120 countries to date," states information in the press kit.
I came to this 10th anniversary event because I needed to come, unsure of what I may be getting myself into. I hadn't been to the Superdome in New Orleans in years and since returning to the city last summer had avoided the sprawling stadium. I avoided it the same way I avoided Ground Zero in New York City when I lived in New Jersey. Enough ghosts haunt me from the flooding of New Orleans. Why conjure more by walking through the dark energy hanging in the air at the infamous site of America's homegrown tragedy?
Why wade through circles of sorrow and hear whispers of theft, rape, murder, rage, and the sobbing of women and children awakening to abandonment? I had stayed away because I didn't want these spirits visiting my dreams.
But it promised to be a day of turning dark to light: the Superdome transformed to Superlove.
Signs of the real world were reporters and their camera people with giddy fans nearly trampling each other to take pictures of Jane Fonda, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, and Eve Ensler during and after the press briefing, which was held at the main stage with the women seated beneath that towering symbol of feminine power. The women on stage, including Katrina Warriors Representative and Ashe Cultural Arts Center's Carol Bebelle of New Orleans and the Coastal Women Coming Home's Colette Pjchon-Battle, talked about stopping violence against women and how what happened in New Orleans was a metaphor for "the challenges women face worldwide -- violence, global warming, racism, lack of health care and education, financial insecurity, and the failure of local and national governments."
As they descended the stage, reporters and fans swarmed them. And later it seemed surreal to see Jane Fonda sitting about four rows back in the audience surrounded by fans. Fonda attended not only because she supports any effort to end violence against women and Eve Ensler's work to raise world consciousness, but also because she will be performing Saturday night in the 10th anniversary benefit production of The Vagina Monologues, V to the 10th. Rosario Dawson and Kerry Washington will also perform:
On Saturday evening, April 12, 2008, V-Day will stage a
once in a lifetime event - V TO THE TENTH - featuring international performances of The Vagina Monologues, musical guests, V-Day activists from across the globe including Kenya, Afghanistan, Iraq, The Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eastern Europe, men standing up for women and much more.Salma Hayek, Oprah Winfrey, Faith Hill, Jane Fonda, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Hudson, Glenn Close, Ali Larter, Calpernia Addams, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Beals, Didi Conn, Christine Lahti, Doris Roberts, Liz Mikel, and Charmaine Neville have already signed on.
The evening will open minds and hearts and raise much needed attention and funds for groups working to end violence against women and girls around the world, and in New Orleans and the Gulf South. (V to the Tenth)
In addition to these women, Jennifer Hudson will be a musical guest.
The celebrities and speakers are paying their own expenses and giving their services for free.
The production at the New Orleans Arena has been modified with new material, including a new monologue that will be delivered by Oprah Winfrey called "Hey Miss Pat!"
I met (Miss Pat) when she was sitting on her porch in Central City,"
