Hollaback! Atlanta’s recognizing International Anti-Street Harassment Week
This week, the crowd-sourced initiative’s coordinating a series of events to help educate and inspire.
- Courtesy of HollabackAtlanta
We’ve all seen it. Hand gestures, suggestive whistles, even straight up explicit language. Street harassment is one of the most omnipresent forms of gender-based violence — and the least legislated against. Hollaback! Atlanta, a crowd-sourced initiative rooted in mobile technology, seeks to end street harassment altogether by collecting stories, breaking the silence, and having a badass response to an unbalanced power dynamic on the street. In honor of International Anti-Street Harassment Week, Hollback! Atlanta will coordinate a series of events to help educate and inspire others to fight back against abuse by creating a safe environment for discussion.
On Mon., April 13, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Hollaback! Atlanta’s Tayler Mathews and Clark Atlanta University’s Women’s Initiative Program will host Let me HOLLA at you — a panel discussion about street harassment at the Carl and Mary Ware Academic Center, Rm 101 on the campus of Clark Atlanta University. A less formal discussion will be held during the HOLLA Coffee Hour at http://clatl.com/atlanta/octane-coffee-and-little-tart-bakeshop/Location?oid=4145977Octane Coffee Bar on Wed., April 15 from, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Hollaback! Atlanta Director Kiersten Smith will be present to participate in the chat.
The events will culminate in final march on Sun., April 19, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., where local artist and Hollaback! Atlanta’s Creative Director Jessica Caldas, whom some might recognize as the artist behind the mislabeled “http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014/09/12/jessica-caldas-talks-controversy-over-her-kama-sutra-exhibitKama Sutra Exhibit,” will be incorporating the original sculpture piece “Four Letter Word.” Volunteers will carry them throughout Midtown and Downtown, as well as several MARTA stations. Caldas will also be coordinating chalk-based intervention pieces at various MARTA locations, which will be chosen based on Hollaback! Atlanta’s MARTA Street Harassment survey responses (survey can be found here). Those interested in participating should meet at http://clatl.com/atlanta/eyedrum-art-and-music-gallery/Location?oid=1297907Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery between noon and 1 p.m. Click here for even more details.