TO THE EDITOR:
This letter is to address the recent vandalism of The Courage Project in the Student Union. Last fall, The Courage Project was created to give survivors of sexual violence and their allies a space to share their stories and empower others to do the same. Created by Project Dinah, a safety and empowerment group, the project acted as a healing opportunity for many participants and it has continued to support and encourage many passersby who have lived similar realities. These people are all to be celebrated, supported, and joined.
The vandalism of the Courage Project is a tangible example of the rape culture that exists at UNC. This recent case shows how vandalism acts as a form of policing that threatens individuals seeking to challenge systems that enable and/or condone sexual assault. It sends a message of fear and silence.
We, creators and participants of the Courage Project, have a response: We refuse to stop telling our stories. We refuse to tolerate violence on our campus. Last year, students, survivors, activists and allies started something big at UNC. It’s up to all of us to keep the momentum going.
If you would like to get involved in ending interpersonal violence on our campus and supporting survivors, visit projectdinah.com or join tonight at 7 p.m. in Dey 210.
Julia Da Silva
Co-Chair
Project Dinah
