 Tell us a bit about yourself:
My name is Darius Diongco and I have participated in Walk A Mile In Her Shoes for 4 years. This will be my fifth year. Why is gender-based violence and violence against women an important issue for you to take action on? To me this cause is very important because growing up as a child, I lived in a household full of women. My Dad left for Canada when I was 2 so up until I was 9, I lived with my brother, my mom, my aunts and female cousins. I learned at an early age the value and worth of a woman. I am also very close to my mother. She’s my inspiration and my home base. To know that violence against women is not just an issue within our community but also a greater issue worldwide is something that should be acknowledged. There are women who still suffer in silence so it’s imperative we raise awareness regarding this issue. How did you first get involved in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Toronto? I first saw this event in the news and at first, I thought it was pretty cool that men were getting out of their comfort zone to wear heels in support of women. But the more I learned about White Ribbon and the organizations they work with to support women, I knew I wanted to be part of something important and worthwhile. Why is Walk a Mile in Her Shoes important to you? It’s important because although it is a fun event, it provides awareness in our community to talk about a difficult issue. I hope to be a role model for other men – including my colleagues, friends and family. Any final thoughts? I encourage everyone, men especially, to get out of your comfort zone and get involved in such a worthy cause. Also, a huge thank you to my friends and family for their overwhelming support and to my colleague Maria who let me borrow her heels. Darius is participating in White Ribbon’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, presented by DSW Canada, The Shoe Company and Shoe Warehouse, taking place on Wednesday May 29, 2019 at 11:45am, David Pecaut Square, 215 King Street West, in Toronto. Donate to Darius’ participation at: whiteribbon.akaraisin.com/wamihs2019/dariusdiongco Visit www.walkamiletoronto.ca to register, participate, and or donate. Thank you for your support of White Ribbon’s work to engage men and boys in promoting healthy masculinities and ending gender-based violence.  Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m Todd Karges and I’ve been participating in Walk A Mile since 2012. I’d been supporting friends walking for a few years prior to that and decided I wanted to be more involved. This year I started working out at Motus Training Studio, a gym whose mission and values include inclusivity and diversity. When I told my friends there about the walk, they were immediately interested in joining. That’s how Marco, Jamie, Ryan and I became the Swole Sisters. We’re excited to be able to make a difference. Why is gender-based violence and violence against women an important issue for you to take action on? Gender-based violence isn’t a women’s issue, it’s a human issue. The work that White Ribbon does to undo a twisted power imbalance that leads to violence against women is essential. We all know women who have been victimized, and that’s a great reason to participate. We also recognize that when this kind of crap stops, everybody will benefit and we’ll live in a better place. Why is Walk a Mile in Her Shoes important to you and how did you first get involved? I’ve been involved for almost a decade, and the rest of the Swole Sisters are enthusiastic newcomers to the cause. We all know that education and outreach are the most effective ways to change people, and that it’s a long process. The work that White Ribbon does is so important and we all knew we had to help however we could. Tell us about your team and how how you got them to participate in the walk this year: The Swole Sisters came together naturally, and it literally took no convincing. When my friends from Motus heard what the event was about, they immediately wanted to participate. White Ribbon’s mission aligns so perfectly with what we strive to bring to our gym experience. We all recognize our role in opening up cultures and changing people’s perspectives. I’d say the Swole Sisters already existed. We just needed a place to put this energy. What are you looking forward to most about this year’s walk? Every year, I approach the walk with a bit of apprehension. The shoes are not comfortable and a mile is a long way to go in them. And every year, I am lifted by the energy and enthusiasm of the event: participants, spectators, everybody. Mostly I’m looking forward to helping White Ribbon achieve their fundraising goal. Todd Karges is participating in White Ribbon’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, presented by DSW Canada, The Shoe Company and Shoe Warehouse, taking place on Wednesday May 29, 2019 at 11:45am, David Pecaut Square, 215 King Street West, in Toronto. Donate to The Swole Sisters at: whiteribbon.akaraisin.com/wamihs2019/theswolesisters Visit www.walkamiletoronto.ca to register, participate, and or donate. Thank you for your support of White Ribbon’s work to engage men and boys in promoting healthy masculinities and ending gender-based violence.  MAY 2019  Dear Friends of White Ribbon, As Spring gets underway, we are busy delivering programming, putting our heads together for innovation, launching two exciting new campaigns, Boys Don’t Cry and the Portal-Pathway, and getting ready to Walk a Mile in Her Shoes! Our community outreach and social media engagement have ramped up to bring about greater awareness and change in ending gender-based violence across Canada and beyond. We are thrilled to share the following White Ribbon updates with you. Get to Know Our Change-Makers Over the past six months, White Ribbon has been blown away by the passion and commitment of fifteen men who have become Peer Champions, while embracing their roles in preventing gender-based violence in the community. Thirty community-based events were organized by our Peers, from kitchen tables to organizations and social spaces.  Visit the campaign website to learn more about domestic violence and an exciting new BEST model for ally-ship. These efforts are a part of White Ribbon’s partnership with the Immigrant and Refugee, Neighbours, Friends and Families Campaign.  These resources help men and boys learn about domestic violence, its root causes and what they can do to create a future without harm. Promoting Male Allyship and Girls' Education in Kenya We continue to work closely with our partners at the World University Services of Canada and local community organizations to engage men and boys in supporting girls’ access to education in two refugee camps in Kenya. We are inspired by the incredible resiliency and passion of the community to advance quality and equitable education for girls.  White Ribbon and Kenya Equity in Education Project Community Mobilizers Prevention of Sexual Violence in our Schools For nearly three decades, White Ribbon has been proud to work with elementary and secondary institutions across Ontario to promote gender equality and give students and educators the tools they need to prevent all forms of gender-based violence. We continue to see very high demand and interest in our new Draw the Line Educators’ Guides. Results from workshops with educators indicate that 94% of participants believe that they gained an increased understanding of the role they can play in preventing sexual violence.  Over the past three years, and with the support of the Ontario Government, we reached over 2.7 million students and educators in 1,850 elementary and secondary schools and distributed 1.4 million copies of campaign educational materials. To date, White Ribbon has reached all Ontario post-secondary institutions with programming, resources, and training. We are immensely proud of this achievement, and continue to roll out workshops with student leaders, coaches, faculty and staff on ways to prevent sexual violence (on and off campus). Changing Hearts and Minds Our broad outreach and awareness-raising from White Ribbon workshops continue to see positive results. We are so grateful for the immense interest and support from diverse community members to unpack masculinities and gender-based violence prevention. This means getting participants to think about how gender stereotypes manifest in their own lives, encouraging critical thinking, and making links to sexual violence and harassment against women and girls. Our participants have told us that, after attending our workshops, 85% have a better understanding of healthy relationships, consent and gender-based violence prevention. Much more work still needs to be done and we need your support!  Nipissing University students, athletes, staff, and faculty sign the White Ribbon pledge. Boys Don’t Cry "Boys will be boys." What does that even mean? It used to mean being brave, being strong, being tough. At White Ribbon, we know how important it is to let boys be so much more than that. Have you seen our powerful new PSA Boys Don’t Cry? This new campaign, launched at the end of February has already reached over 41 million people across Canada and beyond. We can all play a role in promoting healthy masculinities with young people around us, especially those of us who are dads, educators, coaches, and community leaders.  White Ribbon wants to spark a conversation about the importance of healthy masculinities, empathy, and emotional intelligence in boys as tools to help end gender-based violence. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Every year we are so humbled by the immense support and participation in our annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Event. This event presents a great opportunity for men to demonstrate their allyship with survivors and their commitment to end all forms of gender-based violence. Our 10th annual Walk a Mile is fast approaching on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, at David Pecaut Square in Toronto. For more information, visit walkamiletoronto.ca.  Thank you! On behalf of our volunteer board and small dedicated staff team, thank you again for your support of White Ribbon. Your renewed financial support is deeply appreciated - to make a donation today click here. Your donation will go towards much needed youth-based programming exploring consent, healthy masculinity, and male allyship. Make your mark, and help us to expand our reach.If you are interested in exploring partnerships or collaboration opportunities, please contact us at [email protected]. Together we can prevent gender-based violence, and encourage more male-identified youth and adults to challenge their own biases and assumptions and work in solidarity with folks across the gender spectrum to create spaces of equity, support, authenticity and compassion. In solidarity, Humberto Carolo Kate Bojin Executive Director Director of Programs Please sign the White Ribbon Pledge at www.whiteribbon.ca/pledge.   I walk because I remember. In 1991, I was in the eighth grade and we were all trying to make sense of the tragedy that took place at Ecole Polytechnique. Why did this man do this terrible thing? Why did he target women? We all felt so helpless but decided to participate in a walk downtown wearing our white ribbons on a cold fall day. We wanted to show that we stood in solidarity on the important issue regarding zero tolerance for violence against women. Fast forward to today and we are still fighting for women’s equality and teaching our boys about healthy relationships and respect.
My son and I have had countless conversations about why I walk each year, why I raise money, and what it means to be a champion for this very important cause. Like me, he felt compelled to do something meaningful and asked if he could join the walk this year. While it will be a school day for him, I feel it’s appropriate to take him out for an afternoon for this very teachable moment. As we walk, we will continue our dialogue so that he can pay it forward and have these conversations with his male peers at school. Education is so important and the work the White Ribbon does each day is invaluable. Thanks to all who have supported me on this walk and donated so generously. Dev and I will be asking for money again. The need still exists, and we must do something, keep walking and continue our efforts. Sign up to participate in or donate to the 10th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Toronto at: www.walkamiletoronto.ca Donate to Nirav's page: whiteribbon.akaraisin.com/wamihs2019/niravpatel |
AuthorThe White Ribbon blog is authored by members of the White Ribbon team. Archives
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