The University of Miami’s “It’s on Us Rally” featured former Vice President, Joe Biden, who spoke about the need for everyone, especially men, to join the fight agains sexual assault. Hurricane Productions partnered with the University’s President’s Coalition on Sexual Violence Prevention and Education, to host this event, held in the Watsco Center Fieldhouse.
Kim Martin and Ashley Falcon, Co-chairs of the Presidents’ Coalition, when up first to speak on the It’s on Us movement within the university and their commitment to listening and acting upon the feedback of students.
Falcon posed the question: “What should we know, what’s working, and what can we do better?”
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Other speakers included Student Ambassadors from the President’s Coalition, each representing their respective portion of the student population ranging from Greek Life to Student Athletes, and Violet Sullivan, a student survivor. They spoke on their experiences and advocated for everyone to get involved and do their part for this movement.
“I’ve got through hell and I’ve made it through,” Sullivan said.
Renu Nargund, a sophomore who has focused on several issues on preventing sexual violence, was selected to speak as well introduce the former Vice President. Biden’s speech was more of a frank conversation with the students. He touched on how he was raised and on his efforts to aid the movement during his time in the White House, and throughout his political career.
However, the urgency of his talk was for men to get involved. That the majority of men that would never condone such behavior, speak up. That men had the choice to either be part of the movement or part of the problem.
“Guys it’s a simple thing, it’s a crime,” he said.
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