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Send this Speaker to a Friend - Copy and Paste Link http://www.wolfmanproductions.com/griffin.html |
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“What legacy is to be found in silence?” |
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Dr. Rachel Alicia Griffin has been actively involved in the movement against gender violence for seven years. Rachel's passion for gender violence advocacy is derived from her personal experience as a survivor and serving as an advocate for others. Holding a Ph.D. in Intercultural Communication and Diversity in Higher Learning from the University of Denver, Rachel is dedicated to generating social consciousness. Regarding gender violence as tragic, unnecessary, and systemic she understands that raising awareness is a personal and social responsibility that she holds close to her heart. Josh Phillips, M.A., has been advocating against gender violence since 2003 when he joined Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates at Central Michigan University. Since 2003 he has been presenting programs on campuses throughout the United States. In the summer of 2008, Josh and two fellow advocates completed a 1,800 mile walk from Miami to Boston to raise awareness about gender violence. Josh's hope is to use stories from the walk to inspire others to be actively against gender violence instead of passively for it by engaging in everyday activism and creating dialogue about social justice. As partners, Rachel and Josh offer a variety of programs that can be tailored to best fit the needs of your campus and community. |
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“Speak your mind - even if your voice shakes.” |
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Program One - Rachel Rachel has spoken coast to coast in front of audiences as small as 10 up to audiences as large as 1,500. As a presenter, her ability to relate to her audience is astounding. Her warm demeanor accompanied by her strong voice welcomes students, administrators, and staff to personally engage with positive social transformation. Without question, her words will inspire individuals to become aware of and remember the devastating nature of gender violence. Having been assaulted her self, she understands the fear, pain, and denial that often accompanies discussions surrounding the issue. However, with compassion and courage, Rachel gives voice to these issues. She says,“As a daughter, friend, activist, and professor, I often speak to survive. It is my way of struggling against oppression.” |
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| Taking an intersectional approach to her presentations, Rachel will inspire critical thought and deep reflection on how systems of oppression interlock to maintain the status quo. Likewise, her programs are tailored to institutional and organizational needs—she never delivers the same program twice. Some of the topics and issues that Rachel speaks to in a variety of combinations include: |
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In addition to being an Assistant Professor and delivering keynotes and workshop sessions, Rachel also presents with her partner Josh Phillips on how Josh's identity as an advocate and Rachel's identity as a survivor plays a role in their relationship. Oftentimes, the most common questions asked after gender violence programs are about dating, sex, and trust in relationships with good men after someone has been sexually assaulted. |
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Similar to Rachel, Josh has delivered in front of audiences of various sizes ranging from 10 to 500. As a male who is not a survivor of gender violence, Josh understands the difficulty of those who want to help, but don't know where to start. For Josh, advocacy is a struggle in figuring out how he can best advocate with those who have been directly affected by gender violence. However, Josh emphasizes that we cannot become indifferent just because we don't have all the answers. Josh uses his advocacy experience of walking the east coast to discuss with his audiences ways in which we can all be actively against gender violence on a day to day basis in our communities. After hearing Josh's stories, audience members will be inspired to be active and to keep moving forward in the struggle to end sexual violence. His upcoming book, entitled Eighteen Hundred Miles will be available Fall 2009 from Morgan James Publishing. For more information about Josh’s work and his book visit http://18hm.wordpress.com |
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| “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
~ James Baldwin |
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Wolfman Productions |
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