May 5, 2013
Aishah Shahidah Simmons joined Spelman College’s Fight to End Sexual Violence on HBCU campuses

I was honored to receive an invitation from Dr. Beverly Guy Sheftall to return to Spelman College on April 25, 2013 to join their fight to address and end sexual violence on Historically Black College and University campuses (HBCU).

With the news about the recent arrest of four Morehouse College students on sexual assault charges, it is explicitly and undeniable clear that now is the time to continue the very difficult dialogue about eradicating rape and rape culture. Make no mistake, rape and other forms of sexual violence are happening on all college campuses across the country. Tragically, there aren’t many “rape free” spaces. In a culturally specific context, however, the horrible combination of racism and misogyny often results in a deafening silence when Black men rape Black women. This is evident on too many HBCU campuses.

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Ramesh Kathandhi and Aishah Shahidah Simmons (photo: Lani Jones)

On the evening of April 25, 2013, we were small in number in Spelman College’s Cosby Auditorium. And yet, we had a powerful post-NO! The Rape Documentary discussion about breaking the silence about sexual violence and ending rape culture on our college campuses, in our families, our communities, and society at large. I was very fortunate to co-facilitate the dialogue with Ramesh Kathandhi, who is the internship coordinator at Men Stopping Violence. Drs. Beverly Daniel Tatum (President of Spelman College), Darnita Killian (Vice President of Student Affairs), and Kimberly Ferguson (Dean of Students) were also in attendance and expressed a commitment to tackle this issue head on with the students.

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Aishah Shahidah Simmons (middle) with Drs. Beverly Daniel Tatum, Cynthia Neal Spence, Lani Jones, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, and Darnita Killian

We will continue and broaden this dialogue at Spelman College in the fall 2013 and in the spring 2014.  Stay tuned for details when they become available.

Infinite gratitude to Drs. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Cynthia Neal Spence (Associate Professor of Sociology and Trustee of the Board), and Spelman College’s Women’s Research and Resource Center (WRRC) for their tireless and relentless work to not allow (the too often silent) rape epidemic go unnoticed, unchecked, and/or unaddressed. Founded in 1981 by Dr. Guy-Sheftall, the WRRC has been long-term supporter of NO! The Rape Documentary from conception (1994) to completion (2006) and distribution (present day).

12:26pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJykI3i5C
(Notes: 4)
  
Filed under: NO! The Rape Documentary Beverly Guy Sheftall Rape Sexual Violence Rape Culture HBCU Spelman College Morehouse College Racism Sexism Misogyny Cynthia Neal Spence Lani Jones Ramesh Kathandhi Beverly Daniel Tatum Darnita Killian Kimberly Ferguson Men Stopping Violence Aishah Shahidah Simmons 
April 18, 2013
Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA) hosts a series of panels/discussions featuring Aishah Shahidah Simmons participating on panels/roundtables with students who are addressing rape, rape culture, and homophobia in our families, on campuses, and society at large. The day will culminate with a screening and discussion of her film NO! The Rape Documentary.

Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA) hosts a series of panels/discussions featuring Aishah Shahidah Simmons participating on panels/roundtables with students who are addressing rape, rape culture, and homophobia in our families, on campuses, and society at large. The day will culminate with a screening and discussion of her film NO! The Rape Documentary.

1:14pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyi_7Ol_
(Notes: 20)
  
Filed under: Occidental College Take Back The Month Aishah Shahidah Simmons Rape Rape Culture Homophobia Queer Women Black Women and Rape Black Feminism Sexual Assault Sexual Violence Healing NO! The Rape Documentary 
April 15, 2013
Aishah Shahidah Simmons will screen & discuss NO! at Occidental College

Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA) presents a day long series of panels and discussions with Aishah Shahidah Simmons addressing rape, rape culture, and homophobia, in our families, on campuses, and society at large. This will culminate with Aishah screening and discussing NO! The Rape Documentary.

The screening and discussion of NO! are free and open to the public. However, the organizers request that you please RSVP.

Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Occidental College
Swan Dumke Commons
CONTACT: Dominic Alletto <alletto@oxy.edu>

 

 

11:39am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyililA-
(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: Occidental College Aishah Shahidah Simmons Rape Homophobia Sexual Assault Domestic Violence NO! The Rape Documentary Violence Against Women Violence Against Lesbians Black women and rape 
April 15, 2013
Aishah Shahidah Simmons will screen NO! at Claremont Graduate University

Claremont Graduate University presents: a screening and discussion of NO! The Rape Documentary with Aishah Shahidah Simmons.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Claremont Graduate University
Albrecht Auditorium in Stauffer Hall (corner of 10th and Dartmouth)
CONTACT: Lisa Maldonado at 909.607.3509 or <lisa.maldonado@cgu.edu> (PLEASE RSVP)

This event, which is free and open to the public, is a part of a two-part series at Claremont Graduate University to explore issues surrounding the Violence Against Women Act.

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A deep heartfelt gratitude shout out to my Sister/Comrade Linda Perkins, who, since her first meeting Aishah at the 2006 world premiere of NO! at the Pan African-Film Festival in Los Angeles, has been an invaluable source of support in a myriad of ways.

11:26am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyilgBCx
(Notes: 6)
  
Filed under: Claremont Graduate University Rape Rape Culture Aishah Shahidah Simmons NO! The Rape Documentary Applied Womens Studies Africana Studies Black women and rape homophobia Violence Against Women Domestic violence Sexual Assault Linda Perkins 
March 30, 2013
"I wish we could be as passionate about ending rape & rape culture as so many of us are about protecting those who rape or those who promote rape. In the specific instances of people of color and anti-racist white people, it’s uncanny how so many us are absolutely clear and razor sharp with our analyses about the horrid impact of racism and white supremacy upon our communities. And yet, when it comes to sexism, misogyny, and gender-based violence perpetrated against cis/trans women and all gender non-conforming people, the response is too often a combination of crickets, a rush to blame the victim/survivors, and/or a rush to protect/contexualize the behavior of perpetrators."

— Aishah Shahidah Simmons

1:18pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyhUYuIQ
(Notes: 18)
  
Filed under: rape culture rape racism white supremacy gender based violence misogyny sexism perpetrators victim survivors victim blaming violence against women Aishah Shahidah Simmons gender non-conforming people 
March 26, 2013
The Personal IS Political

Tyree, Aishah, and our Dad (Michael) circa June 2012 on South Street in Philadelphia.

There is a lot of understandable righteous outrage about Rick Ross’ rape lyric… I realized that before I can respond to Rick Ross or any other sexist/misogynist/homophobic hiphop artist, I must respond to my brother Tyree Cinque Simmons who is known to the world as DJ Drama.

Most people do not even know that we are related. I believe that in our own ways we both work to keep it that way because we have chosen very different paths for our journeys called life.

Make no mistake that while I haven’t spoken to him in months, I love my turtle twin younger brother. However, I can no longer privately discuss my deep pain with the trusted few about both the person he has become and the music he creates…. I’m not on top of Gangsta Grillz and I can only hope and affirm that he hasn’t produced ANY music that encourages and/or celebrates rape or any other form of gender-based violence. In spite of this, I ask where do we draw the line? When is enough ENOUGH?

I have more questions than answers….

11:21am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyhA4BiS
(Notes: 5)
  
Filed under: Tyree Cinque Simmons Aishah Shahidah Simmons Michael Simmons DJ Drama Sexism Hiphop Homophobia Rape Rick Ross Misogyny Personal is political 
January 25, 2013
Mother Tongue: Monologues for Lesbian Ancestral Wives and Revolutionary Women Speaking the Unspeakable

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BlackWomen’s Blueprint presents:

Mother Tongue: Monologues for Lesbian Ancestral Wives and Revolutionary Women Speaking the Unspeakable


A Benefit Performance To Support Collaboration And Prevention Programs On Sexual Assault In Communities Of African Descent.

Saturday, February 16, 2013
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10037
Tickets $25/$35/$50

http://www.mothertonguemonologues.org/

HONOREES:
AISHAH SHAHIDAH SIMMONS, Black Lesbian Feminist, Filmmaker & Activist

STACEYANN CHIN, Spoken Word Poet, Performing Artist and LGBT Rights Political Activist

THE COALITION OF AFRICAN LESBIANS, human rights defenders representing 11 countries in Africa.

Conceived By Farah Tanis
Co-Founder, Black Women’s Blueprint | Founder, Museum of Women’s Resistance

Event Co-Chairs:
DR. BEVERLY GUY SHEFTALL, Ph.D., Founding Director of the Women’s Research and Resource Center and the Anna Julia Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies, Spelman College.

DEEPA SOUL, Chairwoman/CEO of LARA (The LGBT Academy of Recording Arts)

DR. ALEXIS PAULINE GUMBS, Ph.D., Queer Black Feminist Media Activist, Founder, Eternal Summer of the Black Feminist .

TIONA MCCLODDEN, Award Winning Filmmaker, Artist, Executive Producer/Director, Harriet’s Gun Media

JAWOLE WILLA JO ZOLLAR, Award Winning Choreographer, Founder, Urban Bush Women

DIRECTORS
Lori Payne and Pope Jackson

1:10pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyccigvY
(Notes: 10)
  
Filed under: BlackWomen's Blueprint Mother Tongue Monologues Aishah Shahidah Simmons Staceyann Chinn Farah Tanis Beverly Guy Sheftall Deepa Soul Tiona mcClodden tionam Jawole Willa Jo Zollar Lori Payne Pope Jackson Coalition of African Lesbians Lesbians Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Sexual Assault Rape Violence Against Black Women Healing Alexis Pauline Gumbs 
November 26, 2012
"… Through writing and activism, I found a healing path, a way to honor my experience and encourage other survivors. As I started to share my story and reach out for help, I met women engaged in the recovery process who did not see their own worth and creative power. This awakened my fierce desire to fight for them, to remind them how valuable they are. Eventually, I came to a point where I realized that I had to embody in my own life what I wanted for all the women I loved…"

—

~ Barbara Amaya’s Washington Times Interview with Brooke Elise Axtell: Artist, songwriter, poet and survivor, (& co-founder of SHE: Survivor Healing & Empowerment)

Read the interview in its entirety -> http://bit.ly/SS0q4f

4:55pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyY6RM_U
(Notes: 6)
  
Filed under: Brooke Elise Axtell Healing Sex Trafficking Sexual Violence Survivor Healing and Empowerment rape Babara Amaya 
November 24, 2012
FREE Screening of NO! The Rape Documentary ~ November 26, 2012

FREE SCREENING & DISCUSSION of NO! The Rape Documentary http://NOtheRapeDocumentary.org/

Monday, November 26, 2012 7:30-9:30
Fennario Coffee (111 N. Church Street, West Chester, PA, 610.436.8104)

Producer/Writer/Director Aishah Shahidah Simmons and International Human Rights Activist & Featured Interviewee Michael Simmons  will co-facilitate the discussion following the screening.

For additional information: growingcommunitywc@gmail.com

*TRIGGER WARNING* 

Please be aware that NO! and the discussion my be triggering for survivors and our allies. The organizers of this event are dedicated to providing a safe and supportive space for survivors of sexual assault and our allies.

2:07pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyXyJ2kZ
(Notes: 3)
  
Filed under: Aishah Shahidah Simmons Michael Simmons NO! The Rape Documentary Rape Black Women Sexual Violence Violence Against Women Black men against rape Raday Salon 
November 21, 2012
Meme created by The Anti Intellect Blog (Original Source)

Meme created by The Anti Intellect Blog (Original Source)

12:42pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZrRgJyXkpOnj
(Notes: 14,616)
  
Filed under: Toni Morrison Rape 
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