V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, announced today the latest performers and the full schedule of events for its mega two-day 10th anniversary celebration in New Orleans Friday - Saturday, April 11-12 at the New Orleans Arena and Louisiana Superdome. Founded by playwright Eve Ensler in 1998 at the first benefit of her award winning play The Vagina Monologues, the global non profit has raised over $50 million for local anti violence groups with benefit events taking place in over 120 countries to date.
Faith Hill, Jessica Alba, Sally Field and Ali Larter have joined the list of performers for V TO THE TENTH on Saturday, April 12 at the New Orleans Arena. They will join Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Hudson, Jane Fonda, Glenn Close, Rosario Dawson, Julia Stiles, Kerry Washington, Calpernia Addams, and musicians Common, Eve, and Charmaine Neville at the once in a lifetime benefit event featuring international performances of The Vagina Monologues, a special new monologue written by Eve Ensler and performed by Oprah Winfrey, plus musical performances by Faith Hill, Common, Eve, and New Orleans own Charmaine Neville.*
Arena tickets are on sale now, $25-1000, at http://www.vday.org/tickets. The event is a benefit and will raise funds for groups ending violence against women worldwide, and in the Gulf South region.
Also today, V-Day announced the schedule for SUPERLOVE - Friday and Saturday, April 11-12. Over the two days, the Superdome will be transformed into SUPERLOVE - a place to heal, gather, celebrate and activate to change the story of women. From 10am-9pm Friday and 10am-5pm Saturday, SUPERLOVE will feature two days of revolutionary speakers, slam poets, singers, performers, storytelling, astounding art, and love. Special wellness programs will be available free of charge for the women of the Gulf South including restorative yoga, medical testing, makeovers, and more.
Tickets to SUPERLOVE are free with the purchase of a ticket to the April 12, Saturday evening event at the New Orleans Arena. Visit http://www.vday.org/tickets.
Speakers, performers and artists from New Orleans and the Gulf South will be featured along with speakers traveling to New Orleans from over all over the world. Among the over 75 speaking and performing at SUPERLOVE are Ashe Cultural Center’s Carol Bebelle, Founder of the V-Day Safe House in Kenya Agnes Pareyio, Jennifer Buffet and Peter Buffet of the NoVo Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation head Judith Rodin, Panzi Hospital’s Dr. Denis Mukwege, Matt Petersen, Global Green, actor Amber Tamlyn, Majora Carter, Sustainable South Bronx, Stephen Lewis, AIDS-Free World and former Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Suze Orman, financial expert, Dr. Johnnetta Cole, former president of Spellman College, spoken word poet Suheir Hammad, writer Mark Matousek, and many more. For the full schedule and list of participants, visit http://www.vday.org/superlove.
WHY NEW ORLEANS?
For 2008, V-Day’s Spotlight is on the women of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Leading up to April, thousands of V-Day benefits worldwide will highlight the daily ongoing work of women in their communities who have steadfastly kept New Orleans and the Gulf South alive with little to no resources. These women - “Katrina Warriors” - will be honored for their strength and resilience in the face of devastating loss. The spotlight will bring global attention and funds so that women may be safe and empowered in a region whose pulse beats like no other.
“V TO THE TENTH will celebrate our victories and usher in the next ten years where together we will raise the stakes, go further, go deeper, increase the power and CHANGE THE STORY OF WOMEN. What happened in New Orleans and the Gulf South after the flood and storm represents the challenges that women face worldwide- violence, global warming, racism, lack of healthcare and education, financial insecurity, and the failure of local and national governments. All these are pieces of the story of violence that continues to impact women in the United States and around the world. V TO THE TENTH is a celebration, it is the call, the decision, the next step,” stated V-Day Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler.
V TO THE TENTH will open minds and hearts and raise much needed attention and funds for groups working to end violence against women and girls around the world, and in New Orleans and the Gulf South.
About V-Day
V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues. In 2008, more than 3500 V-Day events will take place in the U.S. and around the world. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $50 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, launched the Karama program in the Middle East, reopened shelters, and funded over 5000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic Of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. http://www.vday.org