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Empowerment at the National Sex Assault Conference

By Nancy Fryer, CCASA Guest Blogger

After listening to Shamita Das Dasgupta’s presentation, “Remembering our Roots, Questioning our Path,” I visited the gardens outside the nearby public library in downtown LA.  There, I saw this fountain with a message that could easily have come from Shamita’s mouth earlier that afternoon.  “Wow!” I thought.

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But wait, it gets even better. . .

I turned around and who did I see but Shamita herself standing with her co-presenter, Diane Docis of Praxis.  I rushed over to them to see if they had come to see the fountain and its inscription.  No, they didn’t even know about it.  I brought them over and Shamita said, “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”

I heartily agreed.  Diane graciously offered to take my photo with the quote.  Shamita instructed me to make a power fist.  I was so excited I forgot to look solemn instead of smiling!

The next morning, Jackson Katz got me all riled up again as he reminded all 1500 of us:  “Recognition of reality is NOT anti-male. . .  You can’t have a conversation about violence against women without talking about gender!”   Yes!

To paraphrase self-styled “angry black woman,” Kamilah Willingham:  Yes, I’m angry and yes, it’s justified!

What an inspiring conference!

(Nancy Fryer is a Court Advocate for Archuleta County Victim Assistance who has been in the field for 15 years.  She participates in her local SART and also CCASA’s Public Policy Committee.)

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