Stormy weather may have prematurely ended Thursday night’s Take Back the Night event at UC Merced — but it didn’t dampen the support behind preventing sexual violence.
Around 50 volunteers, students and community members gathered for the fifth annual event, under the theme “Our stories are written in the stars.”
A prime focus of the event was to empower and support survivors in sharing their stories of sexual assault.
“We’re out here, in all our humility, just to say ‘It doesn’t matter what anybody says, these are our beliefs, and we hope you know that you’re safe with us,’” said Valara Villanueva, director of Campus Advocacy and Resources Education (CARE) program at UC Merced.
The student-run event has been in the works since November, featuring collaborations across campus. Resource booths covered the Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater area, featuring informational cards, pins and merch. The first 200 attendees who visited every booth received a free crossbody bag.
Villanueva is a former UC Merced student and survivor of sexual violence. She worked at Valley Crisis Center out of college before joining UC Merced’s CARE Office.
Take Back the Night reminds her of how she gets to help others becomeget involved in the work of sexual violence prevention.
“It fills my heart to see all these youngsters with their signs, marching unafraid,” Villanueva said.
Around 20 students first marched in the area around the Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater.
They held colorful posters decrying sexual assault and chanting: “Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no!”
Erlyne Pimentel, a senior who is majoring in human biology, helped organize the event with the student committee. She was one of two emcees and has worked with the CARE Office for the past two years.
Pimentel’s upcoming graduation is not stopping her from returning for next year’s Take Back the Night. After all, the past two have all been meaningful, she said.
“I love when events are open like this, because it allows community members to learn more and be well aware of everything,” she said.
The night also featured student-performances from the Afro-Brazilian Drumming Ensemble, Lion Dance and Mariachi Los Bobcats.
It was dark and raining by the time Skye Peredo addressed the crowd for a keynote speech. Lightning flickered over the dorms behind them. Peredo works at Recognize Violence, Change Culture, a national nonprofit organization that helps colleges with their prevention programs.
“We don’t have to just take back the night,” Peredo said in an interview before the keynote address. “It could be: take back the whole world.”
Peredo first learned about sexual violence prevention during their time at Cal Poly Humboldt. She was disillusioned with the world at the time, but her worldview soon changed once she got involved in the campus’ CHECK IT program dedicated to preventing sexual assault.
“If you’re out there right now feeling these feelings, I want you to find your ‘a-ha moment.’ I want you to find the program, the community, the people that will make you turn your feelings into meaningful action.
“It only takes one of us together, as a community, to create that culture change,” Peredo said. “And by you all being here, we’re going to make it clear. As UC Merced students, as a community, we deserve a life without violence.”
Seven more performances were originally scheduled after Peredo’s keynote address, but they were canceled due to the weather. Thunderstorms were first reported from the Merced Regional Airport weather station just before 8 p.m.
Campus partners who tabled included the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities, Dean of Students, the Division of Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence, Social Justice Initiatives and Identity Programs and the UC Merced Police Department.
The CARE Office does not have any plans to reschedule the event, Villanueva wrote in an email Friday afternoon. Upcoming events this month include a sound healing workshop for students on April 22 and Denim Day on April 29.
If you have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence or human trafficking, you are not alone, and help is available.
If you need emergency medical attention, call 911. To speak to an advocate about other resources, call the Valley Crisis Center’s 24/7 crisis hotline at 209-722-4357. You can also visit valleycrisiscenter.org.
Merced College students and staff at the Merced and Los Banos campuses can find information about their campus advocate and resources at the campus’ student support page. Click on the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention link to get help.
UC Merced students and staff can find information about their campus resources at ophd.ucmerced.edu.
