A Look At One Billion Rising

 
By Gemma Cleanslate

 
The weekend was busy with many activities and events that had to do with Valentine Day and love across the grid. I spent most of my time over at One Billion Rising greeting visitors to this event that tries to bring into focus issues that affect women in so many ways in everyday life . I showed you the family in crisis in Sunday article. This is the family in the future when Covid is done.

This year the theme was Gardens.  “The global climate crisis continues to affect communities around the world, but women and girls suffer the most as a result of long term loss of livelihood, forced migration, trafficking and other climate related conflicts. Indigenous populations everywhere have also suffered gravely – displaced and forced to flee and relocate – making them the world’s first climate refugees.”  Amazing to see that even Climate puts women again at the most risk along with all the other issues.  It reminds us all we don’t always realize how many issues there are affecting women everywhere all the time.

The entire four regions were  full of beautiful and diverse gardens to roam and enjoy and reflect on the peace and relaxation that gardens bring in times of stress and perhaps despair.

Many of the artist installations demonstrated their view of gardens and women. Daark Gothly made her garden a place “ Untangle The Stories.” She explains this, “The beginning of understanding is Love. Planting Seeds with plenty of Water brings on a Growth that will be shared. As each person untangles the stories of the past: Listen, Say, Hear, Value, Watch, Tell. Growth will begin.” It is beautiful and enchanting to walk through.

Krystali Rabeni  reminds of the reality that still persists in many places around the globe.

At Lampithaler"s installation I stopped to talk with her and do some tai chi.

Over at the Poetry Plaza there were poetry readings . I stopped to hear the Sean... women doing readings. Aoife( Aiofe Lorefield  was reading  at the time. 

The plaza was another lovely garden setting that was a place for meditating and relaxing .

One place I love to visit there every year is the Hall of Heroes.  Here  are life stories of some of those who have fought for women’s rights for many years all around the world. The placards highlight their successes. and honor their work.

Morgan  is an example of one who worked not only in real life but brought her work into sl at the  Care and Hope Center. 

A reminder for all of us by Angela Thespian-Ireland.

Congratulations to the leads of this project every year since 2013. Their behind the scenes work is long and difficult . And thanks to the artists who did the building of the forests and gardens and stage for performers who participated for 24 hours. If you missed this event remember to come next year.

Gemma Cleanslate

One Billion Rising

By Gemma Cleanslate

Valentine Day, the day of love I suggest you save a lot of time to visit a much needed event being held all over the world in real-life and here in Second Life again for the 8th year, One Billion Rising

“ONE BILLION RISING began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS.

Every February, we rise – in hundreds of countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face.  We rise through dance to express joy and community and and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.

And we here in Second Life can be part of this global movement.SOLIDARITY! RISE FOR REVOLUTION!

This year, One Billion Rising Revolution is giving sharper focus and visibility to the exploitation of women, and to harnessing even stronger global solidarity to demand an end to violence in all forms.”

The four regions are filled with elegant and thought provoking builds by artists of SL  with that focus on exploitation visible in their visions . The dirt path around the perimeter will take you to all of them. Step inside and  experience the messages in the creations. There will be poetry and prose events during the day , and it will be open and active for  24 hours, beginning at 12am slt this morning . It will continue until 11:59 tonight. I believe the builds will be there for a second look for a day or so more. 2LEI has an extensive build filled with the art of many pieces to view and is always busy .

I took a tour of all the wonderful sites and stopped in at one of the entrances where I found two of the leads, Saffia Widdershins and Kess Crystal still preparing . I passed some of the artists also feverishly at work on their projects. The picture above is the installation of Daark Gothly called Raise the Vibration where you can become part of it by hopping on a dance pad and joining in.

The open areas surrounding the Mainstage are adorned with builds for roaming and exploring the peaceful quiet or listening to poetry and prose events. Take a walk to see all that the leads have put in place for your enjoyment. Check out the new dance that was prepared for this year, 2020. This is the first one that I am not participating in to my chagrin. 



(click here if the video does not play)

Thanks to the sponsors of the regions : PrimPerfect, etham, Seraphimsl.com, Lusch Audio, Eclipse Magazine, Sway, Glam Affair, Instituto Espanol, Tableau Vivant, Music Speaks Management, COCO, Ghee, Xi Delta Psi Sorority, Sisters of Mayhem MC.

And many thanks to all the leads and staff that put it all together again..! you can learn much more here on the website https://onebillionrisingsl.wordpress.com/about-obr-2/  and begin your tour here at an entrance  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/OBR%20Unite/71/68/23

Gemma Cleanslate

Scenes from One Billion Rising

Pictures by Gemma Cleanslate and Bixyl Shuftan
Article by Bixyl Shuftan

February 14 may been Valentines Day, but it was also the day of the "One Billion Rising" event in Second Life. "OBR" as it's sometimes called for short, is a worldwide demonstration in support of women's rights across the globe and a call to stop violence against women. The event has gone on since 2013, and Second Life has been part of it from the start. This year marked the fifth time it's taken place.

Gemma Cleanslate was one of the volunteers at the event. She went about in a tiny dinky avatar. There were pink hats available, for both normal sized avies and tinies.

The event took place over a 24 hour period in a four sim area, OBR Dance, OBR Unite, OBR Resist, and OBR Rise.A road went along the area next to the outer fourth of the sims, where there were various displays by artists.

Where the four sims met, there was a center stage for music and dance. Most of the songs were regular pop music when I dropped by, though there was at least one playing of the signature OBR song "Break the Chain," as well as one song about revolution.

There was also a dance theater in OBR Dance, and a poetry plaza in OBR Resist. In OBR Rise was the 2Lei Group area in the artists' section, where they did a particle show while I was around.

Among the artists' displays was this by Pixie Snowpaw.

 Alisiaundra Andrel had this display.

 Eliza Wierwight had two exhibits in two places.

 Giovanni Cerise had this exhibit that looked like something out of a computer.

 Skye Silverweb's display.

Storm septimus' exhibit resembled that of an unexploded bomb long after the battle.

The Steam exhibit emphasized the accomplishments of women scientists and engineers.

The center part of the four-sim area wasn't neglected, and had some well-designed areas of greenery.

And it wasn't just normal humans stopping by. Besides the tinies, a certain dark unicorn also showed up.

For more information on One Billion Rising in Second Life, check out their webside at (https://onebillionrisingsl.wordpress.com/previous-obr-events/one-billion-rising-2013/). No doubt plans will soon be made for OBR 2019.

Bixyl Shuftan

Scenes From One Billion Rising

By Gemma Cleanslate and Bixyl Shuftan

On February 14, the One Billion Rising took place in Second Life. An annual event, this was the fifth year in a row it had taken place. It's actually part of a worldwide demonstration supporting women's rights worldwide and opposing violence against women.

 Across the four OBR sims, various artists had exhibitions in theme of the event.

 Where the four sims met was a stage, where various musicians performed.

There would also be some events on occasion in a few of the exhibits.

Saffia Widdershins was among the volunteers for the event, often doing duty as a greeter.

About 2PM SL time, there was an event in the northwestern OBR sim, which a few pictures were taken of.

A couple people were noticed expressing concern about the recent US Presidential election, thinking the results meant trouble for women's rights in America. But it was the observation of this writer that most people avoided the issue of politics. What did get talked about was the number of men whom were taking part, such as Wildstar Beaumont and Oldesoul Eldemar.



One feature of One Billion Rising is videos of volunteers of the event dancing to the "Break the Chain" song done every year. This includes Second Life, where one with a number of avatars was filmed by AvaJean Westland. Gemma was among those dancing.

Eventually, the event would end and the sims would soon close for another year. But violence against women is a year-round problem. And next year the Rising will be back.

Bixyl Shuftan and Gemma Cleanslate