Take Back the Night Rally Inspires New Hope
by Samuel Bass
May 9, 2017
At Eugene’s 39th Take Back the Night, the day’s weather started to sour while Itzel Chavez and Saya Fyock represented this year’s theme of empowering women of color, but it was Seela Sankei’s birthplace stories of Nairobi City, Kenya that illuminated true international perspective.
While in Kenya, Sankei explained how it was impossible for her and other women to speak up or protest the sexual assault perpetrated against Kenyan women.
UNICEF conducted a survey in Kenya during 2010 and found that three in 10 females, and about two in 10 males experience sexual assault before reaching 18 years old. Prior to Females reaching age 18 who experienced sexual intercourse, 24 percent reported it being forced upon them.
“Being here empowers me because the community comes together and supports one another. It’s nice to be involved with this kind of thing. It gives me hope,” Sankei said. Later she added her positive opinion for people who are unaware, “this event helps build trust in the community.”
Before returning to the rally, Sankei flashed a bright smile that could’ve easily broken through the dark clouds of the day and said, “I’m happy to be here where I can speak openly against sexual assault. Regardless of gender, it should matter to everyone.”
Performances and speakers at the event were women of color and people from the LGBTQ community. This included the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team, a speech from the U.O. Mujeres who painted half their faces in the style of the Dia de Muertos sugar skull, and Itzel Chavez from the Women’s Center, who said, “Radical activism requires radical love.”
Later in Chavez’s speech, she announced, “we’re still here fighting strong!”
Once the performances and speeches ended, Chavez left the stage for the march. Her words offstage were as impassioned as they were while on, “seeing everybody here, I didn’t expect this many people to show up in solidarity for survivors.” Chavez pointed out that, “we’re all here for each other.”
As she prepared to return to the march, Chavez expressed how happy she was about their lineup, noting she was, “intentional in picking her speakers.” She explained how she was committed to representing the diversity on campus for the event and wanted to give marginalized voices the chance to speak up.
Before Saya Fyock joined the march, she also brought up how it felt to be a speaker at the event, “I was extremely nervous, and I felt like I was going to have a panic attack, but seeing everybody there and knowing that we’re all here to support each other meant a lot to me, and it’s just like a good safe space.” It was her first time speaking in front of a crowd.
Although Fyock experienced a slight hiccup in the middle of her speech, she managed to stay confident until the end. After she regained her composure, she said, “We’re taking back the rights to our bodies.” With her inspiring words of defiance against sexual assault, crowds of people cheered her on with their overwhelming support before eventually taking to the streets around the University of Oregon to show their support and take back the night.
