WALK UNAFRAID WORLDWIDE

Greetings, Everyone!

I’ve just arrived in Silver Spring to participate in the 1st Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival. As an artist and activist, dedicated to empowering survivors and educating the public on the silent epidemic of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, I would like to invite you to come out to the festival. In brief, I will be presenting an empowerment workshop, collaborating with artists, activists and students on creating a public art installation, displaying a traveling scroll, and speaking at the Anti-Violence Against Women Conference. I know you know how important it is to break the cycle of this silent epidemic – I hope you will join me this weekend in Silver Spring.

Here’s a summary of my involvement in the festival:

Walk Unafraid Workshop @ Pyramid Atlantic
I’ll be offering a free Walk Unafraid empowerment workshop on Friday afternoon 1:00 – 3:00 at Pyramid Atlantic for artists, activists and students.
Walk Unafraid has proven to be a powerful catalyst for change, as it helps raise awareness of the devastating effects of physical, sexual and emotional abuse that all too frequently, result in homicide or suicide. Walk Unafraid successfully empowers participants (many of whom are survivors of abuse themselves) to speak out, express their pain and rage constructively, while handing on the torch – and ultimately lighting the path for others – to Walk Unafraid.

Walk Unafraid Public Art Installation @ Pyramid Atlantic
Workshop participants will help install the crime scene in front of Pyramid Atlantic to help raise public awareness on abuse during the festival.

The Collaborative Scroll @ City Place Mall
The Collaborative Scroll is a traveling document – now 16 feet in length – that bears silent witness to the countless entries on abuse, survival, loss and recovery that are added by visitors as it sits on public display in locations around the country. It was included in the Healing Lounge at V-Day’s Super Love Until The Violence Stops anniversary event in New Orleans, as well as in galleries and shelters around the northeast. It will be on exhibit at City Place Mall during the festival.

Anti-Violence Against Women Conference Panelist @ City Place Mall
Robina Niaz will moderate a conference featuring 8 women artists Saturday 10:00 – 1:00 at City Place Theater 1. As a panelist, I will speak about my journey of transformation and discovery through creative collaborations.

More information on the Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival is available here: http://www.humanrightsartfestival.com
To learn more about my projects, check out the pages here: www.theredcollaborative.org

I hope you can come out for the unbelievable number of events happening in Silver Spring this weekend – over 400 artists are involved in the festival!
You won’t want to miss it.

All best,

Gabrielle

WALK UNAFRAID RECEPTION + SILENT AUCTION AT ALLIUM
Join allium, Kolok Gallery and artist-activist Gabrielle Senza for a silent auction and complimentary hors d’oeuvres in a rare opportunity to own an original piece of art and support a great initiative that heals, empowers and transforms communities.
Sunday’s reception will bring to light the anti-violence project Walk Unafraid and allium will support Gabrielle’s Walk Unafraid project by donating 5 percent of all dinners served that evening! Make your reservation for dinner today and please help spread the word!

Sunday, November 1
5 – 7 pm (bidding ends at 6:30 pm)
allium restaurant + bar, Great Barrington
For dinner reservations, call 413.528.2118

Gabrielle Senza’s public art initiative Walk Unafraid is a powerfully transformative creative tool that raises awareness and educates the public to recognize and prevent abuse, while helping to build stronger, healthier communities. This interactive project empowers survivors of physical, sexual and emotional abuse by giving voice to their experiences and using an arresting visual display to effectively convey the tragic outcome of the complex relationships between victims and abusers. At the same time, it makes people aware of the fact that abuse is everyone’s problem and everyone’s responsibility.

With intimate partner violence on the rise, the Walk Unafraid initiative is urgently needed. Gabrielle Senza is funding this project with sales of her artwork and support grants from individuals and organizations.

To see images of the public installations of Walk Unafraid in the Berkshires and NYC, visit: http://theredcollaborative.org
To view the Silent Auction online visit: www.silentartauction.wordpress.com

For more information about the project, contact Gabrielle at gsenza@mac.com or call 413.717.0031

SAVE THE DATES!

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The Family Violence Prevention Fund opens the National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence today in New Orleans.  We’re honored to have a presence there this year and excited to be introducing the kits to an integral team of changemakers from around the country.

Gabrielle Senza was part of a panel discussion on Domestic Violence today at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA.  Sponsored by the Elizabeth Freeman Center, the discussion was lead by Nakeida Bethel-Smith.

The discussion explored the personal experiences of the five panelists as both victims and survivors.  Some had been free of their abusers for several decades, others only for a few months.  Panelists offered insight into the subtle underpinnings of a destructive relationship and revealed the difficulties involved in leaving.

The event was attended by over 60 people, many of whom were students.  The Elizabeth Freeman Center provides shelter, counseling and advocacy for victims of abuse in Berkshire County.  They run a 24 hour hotline: 866-401-2425