Dr. Denese Shervington | Ending Violence Against Black Women | Healing Black Communities
June 12, 2008
NO! The Rape Documentary unveils the reality of rape, other forms of sexual violence, and healing in Black communities. Through the testimonies of the featured women survivors, Violence prevention advocates, theologians, sociologists, historians, anthropologists, and other leading scholars and human rights activists NO! is a rape prevention tool.
“NO! is a MUST SEE for any of us who are concerned about raising happy, healthy Black families and ultimately fucntional Black communities.” — Dr. Denese Shervington
Denese Shervington, M.D., MPH, a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry of Columbia University Medial Center, who divides her time between Columbia’s HIV Center in New York and The Institute for Women and Ethnic Studies, the New Orleans based-non profit organization, which she co-founded in 1990, where she is presently developing a post-Katrina mental health recovery division. Dr. Shervington had the opportunity to view NO! and participate in the dialogue following the screening, at a New Orleans community-based screening, sponsored by the Ashe Cultural Arts Center, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Order your organizational or institutional copy of NO! and Breaking Silences today. Click here for more information.
If you’re insitution or organization is interested in bringing Aishah Shahidah Simmons to present NO! and facilitate dialogue or a workshop around the issues addressed in NO! please click here for more information.
Together we can raise awareness and works towards ending rape, sexual assault and other forms of violence against women and children.
College Administrator says “YES!” to NO! The Rape Documentary
June 12, 2008
College campus rape survivors share their stories in NO! The Rape Documentary and Breaking Silences: The Supplemental Video to NO!. Both of these works, which compliment each other, feature riveting testimonies of women who experienced rape, other forms of sexual violence, and/or battering in college and university settings both in the United States and on a Study Abroad program. Their testimonies are supported by men and women activists, scholars, theologians, and cultural workers who work towards ending all forms of violence against women.
“This is such a taboo issue to talk about it. Not only for the African-American community, but for White communities, Asian Communities…all communities.” — Tonya Schmidt
Following a screening and discussion, facilitated by Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Monica Dillon, with college administrators and students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tonya Schmidt from the Office of Dean of Students, said “‘NO!’ was entirely empowering” and she encouraged all college students and any administrators or staff that work with college students to view NO! The Rape Documentary.
Click here to hear Tonya Schmidt’s testimonial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyk20FpjHDI
Order your institutional copy of NO! and Breaking Silences today. Click here for more information.
If you’re intersted in bringing producer, writer, and director Aishah Shahidah Simmons to present NO! or Breaking Silences and facilitate dialogue or a workshop with the students at your campus or university, please click here.
Together we can raise awareness and works towards ending rape, sexual assault and other forms of violence against women and children.
Nancy Schwartzman | NO! The Rape Documentary Testimonial
June 12, 2008
“‘NO!’ continues to inspire me along my filmmaking journey. The courageous women and men who come forward and share their stories are treated with respect in the film, thus enabling their experiences to resonate powerfully and universally. Aishah has paved the way for filmmakers who want to make a change and confront their communities in a positive way.“
Nancy Schwartzman, Independent Filmmaker, 5th Floor Walk Up Films www.nancyschwartzman.com
Domestic Violence Video Testimonial | NO! The Rape Documentary
June 10, 2008
While NO! predominantly focuese on rape and sexual assault, half of the featured rape survivor stories talk about being physically battered by their perpetrators who were their intimate partners and friends. NO! makes the link between domestic violence and sexual violence.
“I really loved this film!” — Jennifer Young
In her video testimonial, Jennifer Young of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, talks about how “incredibly powerful” NO! was and that (Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Monica Dillon) were “phenomenal” in talking about the intersections of classism, racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression on any college campus or organization in the world. Ms. Young was also deeply impacted by the discussions, in NO!, about the direct ole of religion in violence against women in communities of color and hopes that NO! will provide a space for all women and men to tackle the issues of ending domestic violence, rape and other forms of sexual violence against women.
Click here to hear Jennifer Young’s testimonial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfJkxwinhe0
Order your institutional copy of NO! and Breaking Silences today. Click here for more information.
If you’re intersted in bringing producer, writer, and director Aishah Shahidah Simmons to present NO! and Breaking Silences; and facilitate dialogue or a workshop with the students at your campus or university, please click here.
Together we can raise awareness and works towards ending rape, sexual assault and other forms of violence against women and children.
Ending Sexual Violence on College and University Campuses | NO! The Rape Documentary
June 10, 2008
NO! examines rape and other forms of sexual assault through testimonies, cultural work, activism and scholarship of African-Americans. It is an educational and organizing documentary that is also a very valuable training tool on college and university campuses.
“I thought NO! was a really phenomenal film.” — Laura Klunder
Laura Klunder is Residence Life Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She works with 1100 first year students and a core group of 16 third year students/juniors. In her video testimonial, she talks about how NO! will speak to the students with whom she works. She also talks about the importance of students, on a predominantly White university campus, having the opportunity to hear the rape and sexual assault survivor stores of women of Color because it’s both a learning and training tool on how to centralize the margins especially for the anti-sexual violence activists on campus.
Click here to hear Laura Klunder’s testimonial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2poF_Ak_lU
Order your institutional copy of NO! and Breaking Silences today. Click here for more information.
If you’re intersted in bringing producer, writer, and director Aishah Shahidah Simmons to present NO! and facilitate dialogue or a workshop with the students at your campus or university, please click here.
Together we can raise awareness and works towards ending rape, sexual assault and other forms of violence against women and children.
Lisa Richardson | Rape Survivor Stories Testimonial Educate and Heal Communities
June 10, 2008
The power of rape survivor testimonials as featured in NO! the Rape Documentary, play a very critical role in both educating and organizing communities around ending violence against women and children. Through nine different rape survivor testimonials ranging from intimate partner to complete stranger, viewers of NO! The Rape Documentary are given the rare opportunity to hear the un-interrogated voices of women rape survivors who broke their silence with the hope that by breaking their silence, more rape survivors will publicly disclose what happened to them.
“EVERY organization that works with young women, works with women’s health, works with community healing, should see NO! [and] use it as a teaching tool and to spark discussion… NO! is the path to healing that we all need.” — Lisa Richardson, Ph.D.,
Lisa Richardson, Ph.D., is the Chief Development Officer of The Institute for Women and Ethnic Studies, a community-based national organization in New Orleans that has been a pioneer in developing innovative information, education, and communication projects and training opportunities to promote sexual and reproductive health awareness and activism for and by women and youth of color.
Click here to hear Lisa Richardson’s testimonial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjRW5wzk0Zc
Order your institutional or organizational copy of NO! and Breaking Silences today. Click here for more information.
If you’re insitution or organization is interested in bringing Aishah Shahidah Simmons to present NO! and facilitate dialogue or a workshop around the issues addressed in NO! please click here for more information.
Together we can end violence against women and children.
Kenyon Farrow’s Testimonial on NO! A Documentary on
May 19, 2008
“I don’t know if I have seen a more nuanced and comprehensive film dealing with rape and sexual violence in the Black community.
Aishah Shahidah Simmons’ NO! forces us to deal with the lasting trauma Black women survivors have to endure, but also forces us to confront our own ambivalence about the rape of Black women as men, and an entire Black community.
This film gives us the language and the context by which we can examine the racism, sexism and homophobia within the Black community, but also helps us see the way Black women have struggled to heal, and what we as allies to Black women can do to end sexual violence in our communities.
NO! is a gift to those of us who who know that there can be no Black liberation where women cannot be self-determining.”
Kenyon Farrow, essayist, organizer, media and communications specialist, and board co-chair for Queers for Economic Justice.
Joy James’ Testimonial on NO! A Documentary On Violence Against Women
May 8, 2008
“If state violence is ‘genocidal’ then what do you call this violence against women and girls? Any words strong enough? Any liberation agenda brave enough to break a frozen alliance between grief, predation and silence? ‘NO!’ clearly calls out the struggle for mass resistance-moving us towards being whole.”
Joy James, Humanities, Williams College | CAAAS, University of Texas at Austin
Osizwe Eye di yiye’s Testimonial on NO! A Documentary on Rape, Sexual Assault, and Healing
April 29, 2008
“NO! The Rape Documentary insists that black communities openly acknowledge the dehumanization that rape belies and the integrity and humanity of rape survivors.With this film and the accompanying resource guide, Aishah Simmons and her colleagues have created a teaching tool with an awesome potential for healing and social change. NO! The Rape Documentary has been an invaluable resource that I have shared with my students, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. I will keep showing this film until I run out of people with which to share it.”
Osizwe Eyi di yiye, M.S. Ed
Educator/ Consultant
African American & Women’s Studies, Temple University
Iris’ Testimonial on NO! A Documentary on Rape, Sexual Assault and Healing
April 29, 2008
“On March 9, 2008 I watched your documentary with a group of my friends, all women of color. This was the second time viewing for me and I was impacted just as much if not more than the first. I sat with my girlfriends after watching it and discussed our own feelings, experiences and sadness. Following our viewing we ate a meal together, laughed and expressed love for each other. Our pain and sadness was thankfully nourished by communal care and good food.
I want to say thank you so much for creating NO!. My life has changed after seeing it along with my commitment to ending violence. I don’t feel like I have the proper tools to really thank you but, I just need you to know that your film was amazing. Having the heart and passion for what you created is inspirational. I will take your message and spread it as far and as much as I can. Thank you. Your Sister, Iris“
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