We Step Into The Light

Description

Contact: Sammy Jo Rudy, Create Social Change FOR RELEASE
September 25th, 2012
Phone: 858-947-8485
Email: [email protected]

RAPE SURVIVORS DEMONSTRATE COURAGE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
“We Step Into The Light”, An Art Show To Change What It Means To Be A Victim

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. – September 25th, 2012 – On a mission to end the cycle of violence that leads to
brutal crime, social activist Chimine Arfuso will host women and men who have been sexually assaulted,
their friends, family, and the larger community on October 18th at Firehorse Salon, 659 Haight Street, from
7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

“We Step Into The Light” is an event produced by Arfuso, her nonprofit Create Social Change, and Leda
Olinger-Bigelow, managing partner of Firehorse Salon. It marks the first time some will make a public
statement about their experience of being sexually assaulted. It is also the culmination of several interviews
with artists who have painted, sculpted or photographed biographies of their models as a part of a
transformational process Arfuso calls survivor-to-thriver.
“I knew I had wanted to bring this program to San Francisco and involve the community on a larger scale,”
Arfuso said of the movement founded by Dr. Desmonette Hazly, with whom she shares a commitment to
championing shifts in language and culture to stop violent behavior in people. Create Social Change will
host "We Step Into The Light" in several cities annually, including San Francisco, UC Berkeley and
eventually .

At 17, Arfuso was raped in her own home. Now 30, she said she has forgiven the man who raped her, even
writing him public letters from her blog. She runs several programs to end violence, which is a cycle that
often creates a “victim” who in turn becomes violent.
An active speaker in her hometown Irvine, Calif., where the trial of her rape was local headline news, Arfuso
was invited to model for Dr. Hazly’s art show at the University of California, Irvine last year. “I figured I
was doing my duty in the community and helping them out,” Arfuso explained. “By the time the actual event
came around, I realized what an impact participating in the show had on me.”

On October 18th at Firehorse Salon, guests will see works from mostly local artists, and a few “regular”
contributors to the show including photographer and stylist Kimberly Ky, painter Houri Parsi, artist Sky
Hatter, among others. All donations collected through a raffle for the works will go to Create Social Change.
The art pieces will be given to the models to serve as reminders of their courage to support change. Firehorse
Salon will raffle hairstyling and other services to raise money for the cause.

This event is being sponsored by
Hot Studio, a full service design firm in San Francisco.
We Step Into the Light pairs artists with individuals who have experienced violence. The artist and survivor
get to know each other through several interviews from which the artist creates a piece of art depicting the
thriving and growth of the model. The event provides an opportunity for healing for everyone involved, and
raises awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault. It is intended as a way for a community to better
understand and support the thrivers who live among them.

Create Social Change was founded with the idea that healing from trauma includes forgiveness of the person
who hurt you, and forgiving yourself. It is an educational outreach movement to challenge current beliefs
about and reactions to violence that are created by learned behaviors. The mission of Create Social Change is to empower individuals to take responsibility for the choices they make and understand the impact those
choices have in their community.

More Info

Link

http://www.createsocialchange.org

Call

858-947-8485

Email

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