I’ve expressed praise for many community events in Ithaca: Chili Fest, Apple Fest, Ithaca Fest, etc. Take Back the Night holds an equally special yet uniquely serious place in my heart. This Friday, April 25, community members and students from Tompkins Cortland Community College, Cornell University and Ithaca College (myself included) will come together for a night of “reclamation, empowerment, and celebration,” and you won’t want to miss it.
Take Back the Night (TBTN) is a London-born grassroots organization dating back to the 1970s, which formed as a response to rising violence against women. Today, the organization exists all over the world and facilitates marches, rallies, protests and more to highlight the necessity of ending domestic and sexual violence. In Ithaca, the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County has hosted an annual Take Back the Night march, rally and candlelight vigil since 1979.
As someone who spends quite a bit of time thinking, talking and writing about sex, women’s rights and advocacy, I am proud to be part of a community that prioritizes events like this one. I only wish I had known how to be active in Ithaca’s TBTN sooner, which is why it’s important to me to spread awareness now.
I’ll be marching to the Commons alongside other Cornellians from Ho Plaza at 6:30 p.m. (There will also be groups leaving Ithaca College’s Textor Ball at 6:15 p.m., and community members departing from 301 W Court St at 6:40 p.m.). Even if you don’t want to march from one of the group locations, you should still meet us all at the Commons at 7 p.m. for live music and guest speakers. More specific details can be found through the Advocacy Center’s website and social media.
On the Commons, the most community-fueled part of the night will be kicked off by Ithaca’s Mayor Cantelmo as well as multiple other guest speakers and live music. We’ll hear from a student and a teacher from the Lehman Alternative Community School, a student at New Roots Charter School and a mental health activist (and Cornell freshman!) Disha Mudenur. I’ll also be leading a conversation about sex education and awareness — two major components in my column — around 7:45.
The event’s keynote speaker is Angelina Blasich, a visual and performance artist, public speaker, producer, educator and more. She will focus on allowing oneself to experience joy in tandem with the more complex feelings experienced by domestic and sexual violence survivors. Based on her 2020 TED talk, “Ridiculous on Purpose,” I’m confident that her two cents will be icing on the cake of an especially empowering evening.
Not only is Take Back the Night a wonderful opportunity for students on the Hill to participate in the broader Ithaca community, but it is also a chance for collective feeling and healing. You do not need to be a personal survivor of domestic or sexual violence to benefit from events like TBTN. Community events like this one exist to uplift survivors, of course, but participation also allows others to show support, exercise empathy and feel empowered by community. In an era of world tension, it is important to prioritize any and all experiences of collective effervescence and this is one of those experiences. I hope to see you all there!
For questions or concerns, contact Alex Kabat, Campus Educator at the Advocacy Center, at akabat@actompkins.org
