Anyone who's picked up a Chicago Sun-Times has seen this. Still, I'd like to highlight one of our very own Rogers Park residents who made the top 50.
DAPHNEE RENE: For girls who are in abusive dating relationships, tired of being groped by unfamiliar men on the CTA or dreading the walks to and from school for fear of boys and men who harass them, Daphnee Rene is a champion.I'd like to repeat what the Chicago Sun-Times said. Daphnee Rene is a champion.
The 20-year-old is the director of the Rogers Park Young Women's Action Team, a girls research and advocacy group she helped found as a high school freshman in 2003.
Misogyny and violence against women are squarely in the sights of the young activist and her team. They have encouraged organizations and agencies to oppose street harassment of girls.
The team has helped organize a citywide conference for girls, provided members to speak to groups about harassment and teen relationship abuse, trained other students on how to conduct issue workshops and awareness campaigns and published an anthology. Source.
13 comments:
I applaud Ms. Rene for her advocacy. Kids should be able to walk to school in peace. As a female, I can certainly empathize with the young ladies who must endure this harrassment.
Kids should be able to attend school in peace, too.
We befriended a teen whose family is from Africa. He's incredibly smart and loves school. However, he told us that the gang activity that occurs at school makes him incredibly nervous.
That' just so messed up on so many levels.
Having witnessed only the low-level harassment first-hand I would HATE to have to experience what these young women have to go through sometimes daily. Really amazes me how MEN react when they are the recipient of unwanted sexual attention (if there is such a thing).
Really amazes me how MEN react when they are the recipient of unwanted sexual attention (if there is such a thing).
I guess that would be if a gay man indicated his interest in them, which would probably result in these goofs who grope women flipping out and becoming violent. But a dose of their own medicine might be just the thing.
My younger sister and I had a ready curse word -- or fist -- for guys who felt harrassment was their right back in the day. It appears that few young ladies are either being taught verbal and/or self-defense at home these days. As a result, they feel helpless against some males who have no manners. Plus, you never know how some of these guys are going to react.
A woman who used to attend my church had a daughter who was killed by a guy who got ticked because she wouldn't respond to his rude approach to her. You all may remember the crime -- it happened right in front of the Village North movie theater several years ago.
I commend Ms. Rene for focusing on this problem, but I wish some of these guys would be taught how to respect women at home. That would solve most of the problem.
There is a great organization in town called Girls in the Game, http://www.girlsinthegame.org/
Their mission is to promote health, wellness, and leadership for girls through sports and recreation programs.
My bowling league sponsored them with a donation of over $3,000 a few years back. If you're ever looking for a good charity to support this is one of them.
Does anyone know how to contact this group? I would love to have them speak to the teens I volunteer with. My girls would be inspired by the work Ms. Rene has done.
Their website is here:
Rogers Park Young Women's Action Team
So is Miss Renee African American? No one seemed to mention that.
What the friggin' difference does it make if she's purple? What makes you wonder what ethnicity she is and why does it matter?
What the friggin' difference does it make if she's purple?
Because every criminal or suspect or person asleep on the street, etc reported here that is African american is identified as such. That's why it makes a friggin' difference. What, the color only matters if they're committing a crime?
BTW, for the record I have no problem with identifying the race of someone suspected in a crime, described by eyewitnesses, etc.
At Least Craig is not on the list!
Yes. Ones color, weight, height, age, sex, etc. SHOULD only matter if it's to give a description of a perpetrator of a crime.
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