by TORI JAMES, Staff Writer

This past Saturday night, as a Valentine’s Day weekend tradition, the Manhattan College Players presented their annual “V-Day” performance with selections from A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer.

The performance included 20 members of the MC Players ranging from freshman to senior status. The show itself included several readings, all in relation to the prevention of violence against women – the central theme of V-Day.

“V-Day is a global activist movement that strives to bring an end to violence against women every February,” states the V-Day mission statement. “Groups around the world put on productions of different feminist works to raise money and awareness for the cause.”

Eve Ensler, author of the Vagina Monologues, started the V-Day movement in 1998. A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer is an anthology of writings from several famous authors such as Howard Zinn, Maya Angelou and Abiola Adams, and is co-edited by Ensler herself.

“V-Day’s message is so important because even though it is said it is never really felt all the time,” Liz Corrigan, director of the production and senior performer, said. “If even one person can make the change and help stop violence against women, then the movement is doing its job.”

Donations were taken after the performance to raise money for Day One, an organization partnered with youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy, and leadership development.

Along with donations, attendees of the show were also encouraged to sign the HeForShe pledge, ultimately making the commitment to stand in unity in order to work towards creating a gender equal world.

“These are the piece’s people are afraid to talk about,” Angela Benevenia, a sophomore performer, said. “People don’t understand the severity of violence against women and girls around the world.”

Today, there are over 5,800 V-Day events that take place every year to help spread the word to end violence towards women and work towards a world of gender equality.