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Dear Followers,

October is Domestic VIolence Awareness Month. As you know this means a lot to me. It's time to bring awareness to the folks that don't know much about Domestic Violence and how many families it affects from day to day and year to year. My sister was killed by her partner on February 14, 2009 and I still I'm dealing with the shock and turmoil of losing her. Sometimes, in my head I make up a scenario that she is still here and it's just a very long bad dream but it's not. I know there are so many others out there that feel the same way that I do but I don't know them but I definitely know the pain they are going through. My family will never be the same. I will never be the same. I'm healing day by day and letting others know what they can do to end gender violence is how I will heal.

I'll be doing a few things this month to bring awareness to to as many people as possible. One of the things I will work on is bringing the Clothesline Project to Emory University's campus. During the week of October 19th, you can catch the Clothesline Project on Emory's Quad.

What is the Clothesline Project you ask? The Clothesline Project is a visual display of shirts with graphic messages and illustrations that have been designed by survivors of violence or by someone who loves someone who has been a victim of violence. The purpose of the Project is to increase awareness of the impact of violence, to celebrate the strength of survivor's and to provide another avenue for survivor's to courageously break the silence that often surrounds their experience.
White represents women who died because of violence
Yellow or Beige represents battered or assaulted women
Red, Pink and Orange are for survivors of rape and sexual assault
Blue and Green represent survivors of and sexual abuse
Purple represents women attacked because of their sexual orientation
Black is for women attacked for incest political reasons

For this first time in my life, I will be making a white t-shirt to honor my sister. On the night of October 14 at 5:30pm at the Center for Women at Emory I invite you to join me as I tell Tiana's Story and make a t-shirt in solidarity with you all. I look forward to seeing you and please remember that folks wearing their purple ribbons this month is someone recognizing that domestic violence is an issue that we should all care about and should want to put a stop to.

Email me at sashaasmith@gmail.com for more information on the program.

Have a good day!