Step 3: Get Ready for Action!
After months of planning, Take Back the Night (TBTN) is usually held on one of the last Thursdays in April. With 500 people expected to attend, there is a lot of pressure to make sure everything goes well and everyone is safe. Here's a basic breakdown of the planning committees:
Public Relations: This committee does all of the flyering, especially right before the event. They also handle the ads that appear in campus papers and make sure we get the word out about our event. They book tables for tablesitting and help create banners and posters to hang throughout the campus.
Outreach: One important component of TBTN is that people realize that rape affects everyone. This committee is in charge of reaching out to other organizations and talking about the event. Asking them to come to the march and support us.
Rally: Before we march throughout the streets of New Brunswick, we hold a women's rally in front of one of the main buildings on campus. At the rally there are tons of women performers showcasing their talents in all different ways. In the past we have had Korean drumming circles, slam poets, musicians, a female martial arts group, dancers, etc. This committee finds the performers, makes sure they're there on time, gets bio's to read before they go on, and organizes a schedule.
March: In order to march, we need a city permit saying that we have their permission. This committee gets the paperwork for the city, organizes the police force, gets chant sheets prepared (Women Unite! Take Back the Night!), and keeps the crowd in line and moving.
Speakout: This part of TBTN is the most moving. Here women (and men) can speak out about their own personal experiences. This committee must make sure the stage is set-up with a microphone, get candles for the vigil, supply paper and pen for those who can't speak and work with the police to make sure the area is safe.
It takes a lot to pull of an event like TBTN, but sometimes it's not about how many people you have, but how dedicated they are.
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