Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) Participates in V-Day

CUVLER CITY, Calif. – January 19, 2012—For the sixth year, students and community members from Antioch University Los Angeles will participate in V-Day, an international movement to end violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. For three evenings, Thursday, Feb. 9, Friday, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 beginning at 7:00 p.m., members of the AULA community will perform A Memory, a Monologue a Rant and a Prayer: Writings To Stop Violence Against Women and Girls.Antioch University Los Angeles will donate 100% of the proceeds raised to three organizations that work to help victims of abuse.   

AULA community members have chosen a groundbreaking collection of monologues by world-renowned authors and playwrights, which in addition to featuring powerful pieces by women authors will also include monologues written by and performed by men. The volume features such authors and topics as: Edward Albee on S&M; Maya Angelou on women's work; Dave Eggers on a Sudanese abduction; Susan Miller on raising a son as a single mother; Patricia Bosworth on her own physically abusive relationship; Jane Fonda on reclaiming our Mojo; and many more.

"Being part of V-Day really makes me feel connected to the larger movement of working to end violence against women,” says 2012 V-Day producer and AULA student Cynthia Ruffin. “It is so easy to say that the problem is just too big and to want to bury my head in the sand. V-Day allows me to see that I don't necessarily have to hop on a plane to the Congo to be a part of this movement. I can do the work right here and it really does affect the world. I couldn't be happier to be a part of this."

Funds raised will go to three organizations that help victims of abuse:

Haven House, a program of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, helps victims of abuse and their children on their way towards a life free of violence by providing a safe haven for them.  This includes counseling services for women and their children in residence; follow-up support services for former residents, and counseling for community clients who are not residents of the shelter. 

Women’s Shelter of Long Beach has helped thousands of families overcome the trauma caused by domestic abuse. WSLB assists victims and their children by providing safe shelter and supportive services including 30-45 days of emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling, social services support, legal and health advocacy, and much more.

V-Day 2012 Spotlight Campaign - Women and Girls of Haiti  The V-Day Spotlight campaign will highlight the high levels of violence against women and girls in Haiti. Funds will be used to support a revolutionary national program in Haiti lead by a coalition of women activists that is addressing sexual violence through art, advocacy, safe shelter, and legal services.

V-Day was established on Valentine’s Day, 1988. Once a year, in February, March, and April, Eve Ensler allows groups around the world to produce a performance of The Vagina Monologues, as well as other works created by V-Day, and use the proceeds for local individual projects and programs that work to end violence against women and girls. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. In 2011, over 5,800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world. In its eleven years, the V-Day movement has raised over $85 million and reached over 300 million people.

The 2012 V-Day performances will take place on the Antioch University Los Angeles campus located at 400 Corporate Pointe, Culver City, 90230, Room A-1000. Tickets are $20.00 at the door on the nights of the performances; Thursday, Feb. 9, Friday, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012.

Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) provides a rigorous progressive education to prepare students for the complexities of today's diverse societies. AULA, a not-for-profit institution, has served the greater Los Angeles area for almost 40 years. The core values of social justice, service to the community and lifelong learning lie at the heart of the B.A. degree completion program and master’s degree programs in organizational management, education and teacher credentialing, psychology, creative writing and urban sustainability.

AULA is part of the Antioch Universitysystem which has roots dating back to 1852 and was recently named one of the top 20 colleges most committed to community service by USA Today. Inspired by the work of pioneering educator Horace Mann, Antioch University was founded in 1964 andserves over 5,000 adult students around the world and across the country, online and at five campuses in four states.  www.AntiochLA.edu

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