Interested in working with your fellow students to help them develop their leadership potential? Then you should apply to be a Leadership Peer Facilitator (LPF). Leadership Peer Facilitators work with fellow students and one another to create and facilitate programs related to leadership development. 

LPFs main responsibilities include

• Develop and facilitate peer leadership workshops
• Support large scale leadership programming, including Emerging Leaders Conference
• Must facilitate a minimum of 2 leadership workshops (Leadershops) per semester
• Monthly one on one meetings with Assistant Director for Leadership Development and/or Coordinator for Leadership to work on program development
• Participate in leadership team meetings and continued leadership development training
• Attend weekly team meetings on Wednesday at 12pm
• Team facilitate a cohort of the Retriever Leadership Institute, a 5-week leadership development program

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Women’s Center is hosting its 7th consecutive Take Back the Night on Thursday, April 18th. Over the years, we’ve had a lot of questions about what Take Back the Night exactly is, why it looks the way it does, and how students can get involved. To help get those questions answered we started the “What You Need to Know” series focused on TBTN last year and are continuing on the tradition, so stay tuned for more posts over the next week. This is an updated post to last year’s information focusing on the survivor speak-out.

The survivor speak-out is the heart of Take Back the Night. This is the point in the night where survivors are encouraged to come up and share their story with the crowd before the march throughout campus. As a survivor, sharing your story at TBTN allows you to publicly acknowledge your experience with a crowd that believes you and supports you.

Kayla Smith, UMBC Class of 2017, started the speak out in previous years and cherished that moment as a time where she could share her experience with people who she knew wouldn’t judge her. She could look out into a crowd of people who wouldn’t tell her its her fault, ask what she was wearing, ask if she was drinking, or tell her that she was responsible for her assault. “Speaking out about my assault empowers me to talk about my experience with confidence.”

This year we want to focus on dispelling the myth of the “perfect victim” that often times dominates sexual violence discourse. There are a variety of stories and experiences that are shared during the speak- out. Some may share stories or healing while others are still angry, sad, or scared. Many stories may come from women-identified folks and/but male survivors are also invited to share their stories at the speak-out. All of our stories and experiences are valid. And, no matter where you are at in your experience as a survivor (i.e. your assault happened 10 years ago or just last week) or what your identities may be, you’re welcomed to share your story.   

If you’re thinking about speaking at Take Back the Night, feel free to reach out to Women’s Center staff ahead of time if you feel like it would be helpful to talk to someone ahead of time about your story and how you may want to share it. Of course, we know many survivors may not plan on speaking at TBTN and then feel called to do so once the speak-out begins and that’s okay! If you feel uncomfortable sharing during the speak-out, that’s also 100% okay! There will be a chance to be recognized during the March at the Survivor Circle (which will be a new part of this year’s march – stay tuned for our updated What You Need to Know about the March post for more details!) or discuss your experience in a more intimate setting at We Believe You’s survivor discussion group post march.

It’s also totally okay if don’t feel ready to share your story at Take Back the Night – there’s many other ways you can share your story in less public ways throughout Sexual Assault Awareness Month (like making a t-shirt for the Clothesline Project or the other ways at TBTN we mentioned in the above paragraph) and Take Back the Night (counselors will be available throughout the event and there will be the self-care station). Survivors or anyone impacted by sexual violence can also always schedule a time to talk to Women’s Center staff – we’re quasi-confidential resources on campus and can link you to additional support and resources.

Here’s some helpful information about the speak-out we think is helpful for everyone to know whether they’re speaking or listening:

• Any one can be a survivor of sexual violence. Any survivor regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation is welcomed to share their story at the speak-out. At the beginning of TBTN’s creation the speak out was only for women, but we welcome men and all others who may have differing gender identities to speak out. We wish for the speak out to be an inclusive space of healing and representation of different identities can help dispel the dangerous “perfect victim” narrative.
• The survivor speak-out is intended to center the voices and experience of survivors of sexual violence. The speak-out is for allies to listen and survivors to break their silence. Thank you in advanced for respecting this request. Allies are also encouraged to attend the Women’s Center workshop on Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence on 4/11. 
• Since TBTN functions as a public forum, normal reporting procedures look a bit different. If you choose to share your story, and want to go no further in the reporting process, we encourage you not to disclose any names or other specific identifying information, such as locations or familial relationships, as those details may prompt staff to follow up with you for reporting matters. Staff are available at the event for those who do want additional resources and want to report their experience through UMBC’s Title IX reporting process or police.
• We ask that you try to limit your story to about 3 minutes. We know it may be hard to do so but we want to make sure as many survivors as possible can speak during the allotted speak out time which is one hour long. If you’d like to continue sharing your story, you may want to go to the We Believe You discussion group after the Take Back the Night march.
• Speakers will have the option to identify their story as confidential by placing a sign marked “confidential” on the microphone. Speaking from the “confidential” microphone prohibits anyone from taking pictures, quotes, or recording of any kind.
• Counselors-On-Call will be available throughout the evening. Any one needing additional support or simply needs to take a break are invited to visit the self-care station that will be set up in the Commuter Lounge.

For more information about UMBC’s TBTN (check out Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter too by searching the hashtag #UMBCTBTN):

• Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence Workshop information for students.
• Speak: Knowing a Survivor Without Knowing Their Story – a blog post on cultivating a survivor-responsive campus.
• The Women’s Center 2018 TBTN roundup
• The Retriever Weekly photo gallery of TBTN
• Stop by the Women’s Center on April 17th to make a rally sign for the march

Stay tuned for the next installment of what you need to know about TBTN 2019! 

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Women’s Center is hosting its 6th consecutive Take Back the Night on Thursday, April 18th. Over the years, we’ve had a lot of questions about what Take Back the Night exactly is, why it looks the way it does, and how students can get involved. To help get those questions answered we started the “What You Need to Know” series focused on TBTN last year and are continuing on the tradition, so stay tuned for more posts over the next couple of weeks. This blog focuses on the evening’s campus march against sexual violence.

1,2,3,4 WE WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE

 5,6,7,8 NO MORE VIOLENCE! NO MORE HATE!

As a survivor of sexual assault, the Take Back The Night march reminds me that I’m not alone.

Mariana De Matos Medeiros, ’16, and former student staff member at the Women’s Center, said “To me, having the opportunity to speak and march at TBTN last year reminded me that I am not alone and that I can stand in my power to speak about my experience. It took me 3 years to finally speak about my assault and one of the very first times was at TBTN last year. Seeing so many gathered to support allowed me to speak and speaking has allowed me to heal.”

It can be easy to blame yourself, isolate yourself, and feel like you’re the only person struggling with your healing; However, the march lets you connect with people who support you and believe you.

Sarah Lilly, a 2016 and 2017 Take Back The Night student leader says “Marching is us showing that solidarity is a verb, and it brings me great pride to feel so supported by my local UMBC community and to see the unconditional support for everyone else in our community.”

In an open letter in her school’s newspaper, survivor and student activist, Angie Epifano, recounted the aftermath of her sexual assault, namely her experience with institutional betrayal. She ended the letter with, “Silence has the rusty taste of shame.” Due to rape culture, victim blaming, a lack of support for survivors, and more, it is understandable that many survivors do not disclose their experience and sexual assault is rarely spoke of in public.

Much like the Baltimore-based Monument Quilt is creating and demanding public space for survivors to heal, Take Back the Night demands for space in which we will not be shamed into silence. Activists like Angie, the Monument Quilt creators, and YOU during the march are creating a new culture where survivors are publicly supported, rather than publicly shamed. 

Here’s some helpful information about the campus march against sexual violence to those attending Take Back the Night at UMBC: 

• The survivor speak-out is intended to center the voices and experience of survivors (of all identities) of sexual violence. The speak-out is for allies to listen and survivors to break their silence but the march is for EVERYONE to GET LOUD! 
• We encourage individuals and groups to make rally signs ahead of time. Signs are a great way to show your solidarity and support while also representing your student orgs, res hall communities, and frats/sororities.
• We’ll line everyone up in the march in waves. Survivors wanting to march up front with other survivors are invited to line up first along with other community members needed to take an accessible route march. Everyone else will then line up as survivors begin to march towards the south exit of The Commons.
• As we march, walk slowly and stay together. Try to avoid large gaps in the line.
• This year we’re bringing back the Survivor Circle. As we make out way through the route we will stop midway through the march and hold our Survivor Circle.
  • The Survivor Circle is a chance for survivors who may or may not have shared their story during the speak out to be recognized, come together, and be surrounded in support and healing by those attending the march. This is an opportunity for those who identify as survivors to come together without having to speak out or share their story if they do not wish to do so.

• The march will end back on Main Street where the space will be ready for the evening’s resource fair and craftivism. As you’re heading back into The Commons, come all the way into Main Street so everyone else behind you can get into the space as well.
• There will be one more chance to share your experience as a survivor post-march at a survivor discussion group led by the student organization We Believe You in the Women’s Center. (This event will be private and for survivors only).
• Counselors-On-Call will be available throughout the evening. Any one needing additional support or simply needs to take a break are invited to visit the self-care station that will be set up in the Commuter Lounge.

For more information about UMBC’s TBTN (check out Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter too by searching the hashtag #UMBCTBTN):

• Stop by the Women’s Center the week leading up to TBTN to make a rally sign for the march on April 17th
• A blog post about UMBC’s 2005 TBTN march written by alum, Dr. Grollman.
• Speak: Knowing a Survivor Without Knowing Their Story – a blog post on cultivating a survivor-responsive campus.
• Register for and attend an upcoming Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence workshop. Click here for more details on the students workshop.
• The Women’s Center 2018 TBTN roundup
  

Stay tuned for the next installment of what you need to know about TBTN 2019! 

• 10 a.m. – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, the School of Social Work, and Erickson School
• 4 p.m. – College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, College of Engineering and Information Technology, and Individualized Study Program

Get to know Olivia Mills, Writing Center Tutor

Tell us a little about yourself.

I swim, make art, animate, read and write stories. My favorite books right now are Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass and E.M. Kinsey’s The Forges of Dawn. I listen to rock music.Being an animation student, I have the opportunity to bring worlds and characters to life. My habit of sketching a lion, cat, coyote, or dragon once per day is becoming a little silly, but I’m letting it run its due course.

Tell us about how you are involved on campus.

Through the Linehan Artist Scholars program, I participate in seminars, volunteering, creative collaborations, and more with fellow artists. This year, I am spearheading UMBC Swim Club along with some friends, and I am putting in a lot of time to make it worthwhile for everyone. I am getting more involved with my church at Gallery, Sowebo, which I found through our InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As a Writing Center tutor, I’d also like to angle to run some on-campus workshops geared towards students who want to pursue creative writing.

How and why did you get involved in being a tutor?

I was looking for any way possible to improve my writing habits, and for the last four years I’ve been a very academic person and was tutored myself, so I wanted to reverse the roles.

What is your favorite thing about being a tutor?

Seeing the smile or the appreciation on a student’s face when something I said helped them makes my day. This is especially true if it’s not just that I helped them with their paper per say, but with the bigger picture. This could be something like encouraging a student to like writing more, or easing their anxiety about an assignment. I hope that by tutoring, I can help people see the that a writing assignment can just be a springboard into discussing or doing something they actually care a lot about.

Why should students utilize the tutoring?

I’ll speak from the perspective of when I was being tutored, and not from a tutor’s perspective.

When I would request tutoring while earning A’s and B’s, people would assume the effort was in vain. This was because they held the misconception that tutoring is geared towards underachieving students. If this was true, tutoring wouldn’t be available to all students, and you’d need to be failing a class to “qualify” for tutoring. Instead, tutoring is a free resource for any student who wants to improve their academic experience. Many times, I would go to tutoring just for the accountability. Having someone there to make sure I had time in my schedule to work on my assignments really helped.

What advice would you give students about how to prepare for a tutoring session?

Go in understanding yourself. You’re not the expert on the subject you’re studying, but you are the leading authority on how you think, what you like, and what in life is important to you. Take the time to know what your goals are. Are you a person who needs an A in this class, or would getting a C be a huge achievement to you, because this subject is outside of your comfort zone? Have you taken a class like this before, and if so, do you remember what you’ve already learned about this subject going in? Do you like what you’re learning, and if not, what could make you like it more? Have you taken the chance to learn your personality type, learning style, or if you focus best in one-on-one or group settings?

Tutors are there to be your support and help you reach your goals, so tell your tutors what you want and what you think you’re capable of. The tutor is there to help you reach (and then push!) that limit.

When and where can someone work with you through the Learning Resources Center?

I am local to the Writing Center, and enjoy taking both in-person and online appointments! Writing is a passion of mine, especially in the context of creative writing, screenwriting, storytelling, poetry, and literature. That said, I have had my foray into the sciences, so I should be reliable if you need me to help you with technical or formal writing, such as for research. Don’t forget that the Writing Center covers your professional needs as well! I can help you with your résumé, cover letter, and application materials. (I am lately writing quite a few of those for myself!)