The 21st Annual Women Take Back the Night March and Rally will be held Saturday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. on the West Steps of the California State Capitol.

An open-air display of projects and organizations supporting women and their strength starts at 6 p.m. The rally starts at 7 p.m.

Women Take Back the Night is striving for an end to violence against women around the world. An international tradition, it has continued around the world since 1976.

Belgium was the first to hold the march in 1976 at the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women where women marched together, holding candles to protest the ways in which violence permeates the lives of women worldwide.

The annual event that has taken place in Northern California for the past twenty years affirms a commitment to ending violence towards women and the restriction it has caused on personal freedom and safety.

Activities included with the march and rally is the Women’s Memorial, the Clothesline Project, which is put on by the CSUS Women’s Resource Center, Community organizations, and the Taiko Dan women drummers group. There will also be a children’s program as well as other musical performers.

The highlight of Take Back the Night is the march when women walk through the night and reclaim the streets that have been a source of fear and violence.

Speakers and performers at the 21st Annual Take Back the Night include Dr. Cameron Wedding of Sacramento State who is also a governor appointed member of the California Commission on the status of women, Midge Marino, founder/creator of Trade Your Fear For Anger and an instructor at Sac State, Melonnee Desiree, a Northern California area performer, and Kirsten Candy, a California singer and songwriter.

For more information please call (916) 448-2321 ext. 520 or visit the Women Take Back the Night website at: [email protected]