I’m posting a message from my wife, please feel free to pass it forward.

Peace, Giles

Hello Family,

Many of you have heard of the young African-American sister who was held captive and brutally tortured and raped by six white assailants for a month in West Virginia. While this crime was shocking, it is only one of many unspeakable recent acts of violence toward Women of Color across the country.

In response, Women of Color are launching a campaign called “Be Red Be Bold Wear Red on October 31st Campaign.”

As an API woman, I am appealing to other APIs and encouraging us all to learn about these cases and to participate in the Wear Red Campaign. We know that sexual assault affects our communities. Asian women have been targeted in sexual assaults because of their race, have been trafficked, abused, and exploited because of their nationality and/or immigration status, and we know of many cases of American and European pedophiles and sex criminals vacationing in or fleeing to Asia.

We’re all part of the same communities as oppressed people and People of Color. The young sister in West Virginia is just one of the more high profile victims from our communities this year; even so, the mainstream media has given the epidemic of violence toward women in our communities short treatment. It is the sad truth that we cannot look toward the mainstream to support us during difficult times.

We have to show support for each other. We owe it to ourselves, our communities, and each other, and that is why I hope you will participate. Please read on for more information.

Sopheak Tek
Communication Coordinator
National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending

Hello Sisters,

Recent events in the United States have moved us to action. Violence against women is sadly, not a new phenomenon in our country or in the world, however, in the last year women of color have experienced brutal forms of violence, torture, rape and injustice which have gone unnoticed, received little to no media coverage, or a limited community response. We are responding to:

*The brutal and inhumane rape, torture, and kidnapping of Megan Williams in Logan, West Virginia who was held by six assailants for a month.

*Rape survivors in the Dunbar Housing Projects in West Palm Beach, Florida one of whom was forced to perform sexual acts on her own child.

*A 13 year old native American girl was beaten by two white women and has since been harassed by several men yelling “white power” outside of her home.

*Seven black lesbian girls attempted to stop an attacker and were later charged with aggravated assault and are facing up to 11 year prison sentences.

In a Litany of Survival, Audre Lorde writes, “When we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak remembering we were never meant to survive.” These words shape our collective organizing to break the silence surrounding women of color’s stories of violence. We are asking for community groups, grass-root organizations, college campus students and groups, communities of faith, online communities, and individuals to join us in speaking out against violence against women of color. If we speak, we cannot be invisible.

Join us and stand up to violence against women by wearing Red on October 31, 2007.

I have attached two important documents detailing the “Be Red Be Bold Wear Red on October 31st Campaign.”

For updated information, please visit our website.

Blessings and Peace,
Fallon