For seven years now, The Empty Space has been raising funds for the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault through the VDAY movement.
VDAY consisted of “A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer” edited by Eve Ensler and Molly Doyle, the award winning “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler, and the VFAIR on March 14.
Executive board member Thomas G. Robinson, 44, who is marketing and gallery director for The Empty Space, feels that it “is important to get the word out to the community and make a difference. The more people that become a part of it the better it will be for the alliance,” Robinson said. “The big picture is to raise funds for the alliance.”
The VDAY Fair was made up of vendors, raffles, men auctioning and live music. A self-defense class was also offered during the fair. There were a variety of booths ranging from a WIC booth to handmade purses, scarves, pillows and blankets from Christin Varvel and Lacey Maples.
According to www.vday.org, VDAY is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play “The Vagina Monologues.”
VDAY is a non-profit corporation that distributes funds to grassroots, national and international organizations that work to stop violence against women and girls.
In 2001 VDAY was named one of Worth Magazine’s 100 Best Charities and in 2006 one of Marie Claire Magazine’s Top Ten Charities. The “V” in VDAY stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
The Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault is a local organization with the mission to stop domestic violence and sexual assault in Kern County. According to the Alliance’s information flier, it was founded in 1979 as a volunteer-staffed 24-hour hotline for battered women.
Jessica Hernandez, 28, rape prevention and education specialist at the AAFVSA, has been a part of this organization for about three years. With regards on where the money goes she said, “All of the money received goes back to our women and children.”
“The alliance helps women and children who face domestic violence. We have an undisclosed location where survivors are placed for as long as 60 days and after that we help them find a home,” she said. “We make sure they have the essentials needed and have a variety of services that they can benefit from.”
Guinevere PH Dethlefson, 30, VDAY organizer has been a part of VDAY from the day it started at The Empty Space and with a smile on her face added, “I love it. I love using theater to create social change and here is a chance to do it.”
Cast member and Bakersfield College student Allison Martin, 22, liberal arts major has been a part of VDAY for four years.
“Each year is different, it gets a little repetitive because it’s the same monologues year after year but what makes it different is the people who portray them. That is what brings a huge difference,” said Martin.
Martin was part of the cast for “The Vagina Monologues” that were held on March 6, 12 and 13, and it was her first time being involved in “A Memory, Monologue, Rant, and A Prayer.” She has contributed to the cause by being part of it as well as holding a booth at the fair. “I hope to help by selling photographs and buttons,” she said.
“I think some people are scared to talk about this show and promote it because they may not be accepted by others, I mean it’s a show about vaginas,” added Martin.
Hester Wagner, 28, was this year’s VDAY director. She said that this was the first year she had anything to do with VDAY because she had never heard of it before. She became director because she was asked by the prior director to take over the show.
In the pamphlet issued at The Empty Space, Wagner wrote “This event was about community, about bonding with others over shared experiences, about the power of theater to heal, to inspire, to elicit change.”
Numerous amounts of cast members all agreed that the feeling of supporting such a great cause is very rewarding. Some have been a part of this movement for two or more years while others just became a part of it this year.
“This becomes a sisterhood because you make new friends and that keeps you coming back,” said Jodie Arvizu, 31, who has been a part of this for two years.
Crystal Huddleston, 30, English teacher at Garces Memorial High School, is new to this movement and said, “It is eye-opening and empowering to be around other people that care about this issue.”
Over the past six years, The Empty Space has raised over $16,000 for the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, and will continue to do so, according to Dethlefson. Aside from the events hosted, The Empty Space also sells VDAY T-shirts year-round with the proceeds going to the Alliance.