Events Planned at UW During Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April

Speakers, Denim Day, informational displays and a fundraiser are events planned during Sexual Assault Awareness Month at the University of Wyoming in April.

Two guest speakers -- Katie Koestner and Antuan Raimone -- will present “From HBO to Broadway’s Hamilton: Stories of 2 Survivors” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 14, in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. Both will share their sexual assault survivor stories and how they have worked on their own healing and advocacy. The event is free and open to the public.

Koestner, an activist, is the first woman to speak out nationally as a victim of date rape. She has been featured in Time magazine, and in HBO and Lifetime films about her story. Raimone is a Broadway actor who has appeared in productions of “Hamilton” and “In the Heights.”

Denim Day and Green Dot Day of Action are scheduled Wednesday, April 26. The goals of these events are to help raise funds for the Survivor Emergency Fund; to show support for survivors of sexual assault by wearing denim; and to promote Green Dot as a proactive way to reduce violence. Green Dot is UW’s skill-based bystander intervention program that is committed to reducing and preventing power-based personal violence such as sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking.

Information tables will be displayed from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26 in the Wyoming Union breezeway and on Simpson Plaza. The tables will include resources, giveaways, food and activities to show support for survivors in the community. To view live updates the day of events, follow @uwyogreendot and @uofwyoming on Instagram.

“Denim Day is about spreading awareness around sexual violence issues, supporting survivors and educating ourselves and others on how to stop violence before it occurs,” says Michelle DiPasquale, UW’s Violence Prevention Program manager.

She is urging the community to do one or more of the following: Wear denim and post a photo to Instagram with #cowboysweardenim to show support for survivors; donate to the Survivor Emergency Fund, which directly supports undergraduate student survivors; or promote Green Dot by wearing a Green Dot pin or registering for an upcoming training session.

Also that day will be a visual display and a group photo event.

The Clothesline Project -- in the Wyoming Union Family Room -- is a visual display that has T-shirts with messages that survivors or those personally impacted by sexual assault have written. The shirts will be displayed for those who would like to view/read them.

For those wearing denim on Denim Day, a large group photo will be taken at noon in the Wyoming Union Skylight Lounge.

For more information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month events, email DiPasquale at greendot@uwyo.edu.