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#metoo movement organizer to speak in Kelowna

FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2018 file photo, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke arrives at Variety's Power of Women event in Beverly Hills, Calif. Eight groups across the nation have been awarded funding from the New York Women’s Foundation for their efforts to fight sexual violence. The groups in this first round of funding, chosen in consultation with Burke, are focused on underserved communities such as communities of color, immigrant communities and LGBTQ people. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File).

In 2017, the hashtag #metoo became a global phenomenon that empowered people to speak up about sexual assault and harassment.

But before hashtags and viral videos, Tarana Burke simply used the phrase as far back as 2006 to help young women of colour who were survivors.

Burke will be in the Okanagan March 6 to talk about her history as a civil rights activists and the #metoo movement.

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“In 2017, Time named Burke, among a group of other prominent female activists dubbed “the silence breakers”, as the Time Person of the Year of being named,” a post about Burke on the UBC website said. “More recently, she was named The Root 100’s most influential person of 2018 and received the 2018 Ridenhour Prize for Courage.”

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“Tarana is currently senior director of programs at Brooklyn-based Girls for Gender Equity. Her upcoming book, Where the Light Enters, discusses the importance of the ‘me too’ movement as well as her personal journey from ‘victim to survivor to thriver.'”

Burke will speak from 7-9pm at the Kelowna Community Theatre in partnership with alumni UBC and be presented by UBC president Santa J. Ono.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through the UBC website link here. There will be limited free seating for UBC students.

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