Fourth annual Sisters in Spirit Vigil to be held Oct. 4 http://www.nwac-hq.org/en/index.htmlMarchers unite to end violence
There are plenty of reminders in the headlines that communities are still not completely safe for women, but this Sunday a group of Penticton women want to change that.
Using their combined resources, the annual Take Back the Night march and Sisters in Spirit vigil aim to raise awareness about issues of violence against women.
“We decided to combine the two because it is basically about the same issue, it is just two different races,” said Pam Louis, executive director for the Okanagan Nation Transition Emergency House. “It is a good way to start working together in the city.”
The Penticton and Area Women’s Centre and Okanagan Nation Transition Emergency House are collaborating for the event this Sunday that welcomes the public to join them in their march starting at 7 p.m. from the Penticton Indian Band Hall to the bridge over the Okanagan River Channel.
“On behalf of the staff at the women’s centre, we really are proud to be able to join with ONTEH and have then in our community,” said Chandra Wong, event co-ordinator at the women’s centre.
This year’s vigil includes a dinner at 5 p.m. followed by guest speaker Bernie Williams at 6 p.m. Williams is the co-founder of Walk 4 Justice 2008 — a grassroots movement intended to raise awareness about missing and murdered women in Canada. Williams was one of 14 women who walked from Victoria to Ottawa to ask the prime minister for a public enquiry.
“It is so important to raise issues of violence against women and provide a place of empowerment for women so they feel like they have control over violence in their lives. I really think there is a misunderstanding that violence only happens in big cities. Violence can happen anywhere and to anybody — young or old,” said Wong.
