Violence UnSilenced and the 2012 Blogger Body Calendar
We’ve got an exciting announcement: Blogger Body Calendar is back for 2012, and its organizers have chosen Violence UnSilenced as this year’s recipient of proceeds. The theme for 2012 is “Survivor and Strength.”
The Body Blogger Calendar was created last year by Amy Phillips and Alex Iwashyna to raise money and awareness for designated causes. Each month of the printed calendar features a different participating blogger interpreting that year’s particular theme. Calendars will be available for purchase; last year the proceeds from the Blogger Body Calendar went to NEDA, the National Eating Disorders Association, to support individuals and families affected by eating disorders.
“One of things that struck me about eating disorders is how violent it is,” writes Phillips. “It’s almost as if women are abusing themselves.”
She goes on to write,
“This year, all proceeds raised by the calendar will go to the people who run Violence UnSilenced to use to further their mission. We hope that every time you look at one of the pictures in the calendar you are reminded of the strength each one of us possesses. We have both survivors of violence in our calendar, and women who just want to show their support for women who suffer daily around the world.”
Although Violence UnSilenced has been in operation for more than two years, we have never before accepted a single penny from outside sources. The site was created and is maintained solely through volunteer time and resources, so that we can keep the focus on empowering survivors through speaking out. However, there are definitely certain administrative and legal costs associated with the site. Therefore, we will gladly accept the proceeds from the calendar with much, much gratitude.
Follow the Blogger Body Calendar on Twitter, or visit the website and Facebook page for continuing updates.
Happy 2nd Anniversary, Violence UnSilenced!
Two years ago today Violence UnSilenced launched to enormous warmth and support, and you continue to cultivate this site with care and grace today. I wish you knew how grateful I am for that. I wish you could see all of the emails I get letting me know how much your kindness means to the survivors who post here. It’s a big, big deal.
Last year, to mark the one year anniversary, I created a video–and though at the time I thought of it as a passing moment, that video has in fact served as many people’s introduction to VU. It seemed right to do it again with VU’s sophomore class. And it seems right to celebrate.
As I was putting the new video together yesterday, I couldn’t keep from grinning. I felt almost giddy assembling and displaying all of these individual signs of empowerment. I realize this is a site for very serious topics, believe me. But there is so much joy in finding one’s voice. There is something so cool about a collective uprising.
Thank you for being here for another year. Thank you to those who spoke out. Thank you to those who listened and nodded. Thank you to those who are still waiting patiently in line for your turn. Thank you to those of you who have helped out behind the scenes, those who have tirelessly promoted and supported this site, and those who have been kind to me throughout a tough past year.
Most of all, thank you to the gentle man in my life, the one whose hands will never be used for hurting, the one who is teaching my daughters what men ought to be. I am so grateful.
Happy 2nd anniversary, Violence UnSilenced. I hope you all enjoy watching the video as much as I did making it.
–Maggie
Violence UnSilenced now on Twitter and Facebook!
This is just a quick housekeeping note to let you know Violence UnSilenced now has its own Facebook “fan page” and Twitter account. (Check out those pretty buttons on the sidebar.) Both accounts are operated by me, and I’d love your help in spreading the word.
This has always been a community place, a critically communal effort. The vitality of this site depends on the survivors who share here and the readers who support them. A survivor spins his or her story and you pick up the thread. Badges are distributed, links are retweeted, entries are shared via RSS, email, and Facebook–and new survivor stories come rolling into my inbox. One person affects countless other people here in the most exquisite spider web.
In that spirit, I’m letting you know about the new Facebook page and the Twitter account so that you’ll do what you do best–support and share.
Thanks, as always, for all of it. I hope you look inward and smile at yourself today. You are so much more important than you know.
–Maggie
In Memoriam: Mary Jo Roberts
Mary Jo Roberts was a survivor, a proud contributor to this site, and an ardent supporter of her fellow Violence UnSilenced comrades. On Saturday, May 15, she passed away unexpectedly. Our hearts are aching for her husband, Matt, and their loved ones.
Thank you, MJ, for using your voice to help others. You were clearly treasured and will be deeply missed.
(December 26, 1980 — May 15, 2010)
(Condolences may be left on Mary Jo’s blog, or on the Facebook memorial page her husband, Matt, created. This post was created with his permission.)
