ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will be among the speakers to join this year’s Take Back the Night event on Wednesday, April 3.
The free, annual event raises awareness about sexual violence through a rally and march throughout downtown Ann Arbor followed by a candlelight vigil.
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A pre-recorded message from Whitmer will kick off the rally at 7 p.m. in the University of Michigan Union Ballroom, at 530 S. State St., for this year’s event.
There will be a speech by LGBTQ+ advocate Jey’nce Poindexter, performances by the Detroit Women’s Choir and burlesque artist Sophia VonStardust, and a reading by Necto drag queen Perry Dox.
Area organizations, like Ann Arbor’s SafeHouse Center and Planned Parenthood, will be onsite offering resources and support starting at 6:30 p.m.
April’s event centers around uplifting voices of the LGBTQ+ community.
Those who cannot attend in-person can join the event virtually on YouTube. A link to the channel will be on the Take Back the Night website by the time of the rally.
Organizers said counselors and hotline resources will be available during the event due to the potentially upsetting nature of the rally. Parents are encouraged to use their own discretion on whether the event is appropriate for their child.
Take Back the Night is organized by the non-profit Standing Tough Against Rape Society and University of Michigan student organization University Students Against Rape.
Learn more at the TBTN rally website.