#SAAM Week 1

On Tuesday, April 4th we kicked off our first community-wide Sexual Assault Awareness Month with a Press Conference featuring City of Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea, Nick Kline, Chair of the Family Violence Coordinating Council, and Brian Caswell, survivor.

See the live-stream footage of the event here:

We feel so lucky to have had news coverage from WDBJ7, WSLS10, and WFXR.

See photos from the Kick-Off and Press Conference below:

: Executive Director, Teresa Berry

: Nick Kline, Chair of the Family Violence Coordinating Council

: Mayor Sherman Lea reads SAAM Proclamation

: Executive Director, Teresa Berry

: Mayor Sherman Lea at the SAAM Kick-Off

: ED Teresa Berry and City of Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea

: Laura Guilliams, Teresa Berry, Kelsey Harrington, and Kaisha Williams

Events

We collaborated with local organizations to put on four events this week. On Tuesday, April 4th we worked with the Metropolitan Community Church and the Roanoke Diversity Center to bring the community “Sexual Violence Awareness and Bystander Intervention”. Throughout the semester we worked with Roanoke College’s INQ 300 course, “Sex and Storytelling” to bring the campus community an event entitled “No One Talks About It: Sexual Assault on College Campuses”. These students did a great job breaking down stereotypes, myths, victim blaming, and masculinity.

Nick Dillon, Yvonne Gravely, Kelsey Harrington (SARA staff), Hannah Kolcz, and Conn Curry

Les Cheveux Salon and Day Spa generously donated their time, energy, and services to provide discounted services on Thursday, April 6th in which 100% of the proceeds would be donated to SARA. We had a great time treating ourselves to manicures, massages, facials and more. Thank you so much to everyone who came out!

: Les Cheveux Owner, Sherman Argenbright and SARA Executive Director, Teresa Berry

: Les Cheveux Stylist, Haley Bechtel

This week’s events:
Tuesday, April 11th: Take Back the Night
Friday, April 14th: CASA at Hollins University, “The Hunting Ground”

#30DaysofSAAM Week 1 Winner!

We’d like to thank everyone who has participated in our #30DaysofSAAM contest so far this month. We had one stand out participant who has been awarded our #SAAM swag bag! Thank you to Ronnie Stephenson-Crocker for posting on Instagram!

Ronnie’s #30DaysofSAAM Posts!

Join in on the fun this next week:
April 9th: State/town support survivors (take a pic of a landmark)
April 10th: Print, color, or create your SAAM coloring page
April 11th: I Go Teal For…
April 12th: Show off your SAAM temporary tattoo
April 13th: How do you change the culture?
April 14th: How I support survivors #SupportSurvivors
April 15th: Helping Hands – show us your SAAM nail designs

Full SAAM Events: www.sararoanoke.org/SAAM17