SoN, SoM, SPH Join in Opposing Domestic
Violence
By Kelly Brooks-Staub School of Nursing
Over the month of February, students and staff from
the schools of Nursing, Medicine and Public Health will
come together to raise funds and awareness to stop violence
against women and girls. As part of the global 2007 V-Day
Campaign, the 17 women from Johns Hopkins will host
academic discussion forums, a dinner and swing-dancing
fund-raiser, a silent auction and two benefit performances
of Eve Ensler's award-winning play The Vagina
Monologues.
This is the first year that the three schools have
joined together for a V-Day Campaign.
When The Vagina Monologues was produced at the School
of Nursing last year, student Susana Vega auditioned for
the cast, then ended up volunteering as a production
assistant. It was the first time she had ever seen the
program. "I had planned to organize a School of Nursing
production again this year, but when students from the
other schools began e-mailing me about the show, I just
couldn't refuse," said Vega, who is this year's
producer.
Laura Cappelli, a medical student in the class of 2010
and one of two co-directors for the upcoming performances,
said, "Domestic violence is such an important issue for
people in the health care field. It's wonderful that we can
get people involved from all three schools on the Hopkins
medical campus. The performance is an amazing example of
interdisciplinary collaboration!"
Proceeds from the Hopkins V-Day events — planned
and implemented entirely by volunteers from the three
schools — will benefit Baltimore's victims of
domestic violence at the House of Ruth Maryland and
Adelante Familia. Each organization also will receive 50
free tickets to attend the performance.
Caitlin Gerdts, the show's co-director and a master's
degree student at the Bloomberg School, said, "The Vagina
Monologues is now a global show and has a message that
translates across cultures to women everywhere. It's
important to give women in our local community — who
might not otherwise have the means — an opportunity
to see this show."
Vega said, "We have been able to do much more this
year — in terms of raising funds and violence
awareness — due to the resources we have through
collaborating. We hope to send a message, that violence
against women is, quite simply, unacceptable. Even if each
of us can contribute only some small thing to this cause,
we must do it."

Johns Hopkins 2007 V-Day Campaign
Events
'Believe: Preventing Domestic Violence in
Baltimore'
Monday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m., Carpenter Room, School of
Nursing
Panel discussion: Jacquelyn Campbell, professor
Johns Hopkins SoN; Ellyn Loy, counselor, House of Ruth
Maryland; and Phyllis Sharps, associate professor Johns
Hopkins SoN
More info: Susana Vega at
svega2@son.jhmi.edu
V-Day Meet & Eat: Dinner & Dancing
Monday, Feb. 12, 6:15 p.m.,
Austin Bar and Grill, 2400 Boston St.
$25 for quesadilla buffet dinner, swing-dancing lesson; $30
with addition of profile matching
More info:
vdayhopkins@gmail.com or
www.aiyah.org/vday
'Preventing Violence Against Women: The Role of
Men'
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m.,
Carpenter Room, School of Nursing
Panel discussion: Lisa Nitsch, program manager,
Gateway Project, House of Ruth Maryland; Alfredo Santiago,
group facilitator, Si Puedo (Latino abuser intervention
program), Adelante Familia; Daniel Sheridan, associate
professor, Johns Hopkins SoN; and David Thomas, assistant
director, Domestic Violence Education Program, Johns
Hopkins
More info: Susana Vega at
svega2@son.jhmi.edu
'The Vagina Monologues' and silent auction
Friday, Feb. 16, and Saturday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m.,
Turner Auditorium, JHH
$10/$8 for JHU students, available at the door
More info: Susana Vega at
svega2@son.jhmi.edu
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