Bestselling author Chanel Miller will appear at UCSC in a virtual keynote event that is part of the Take Back the Night series and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This free event will take place on Tuesday, April 26, from 6:30–8 p.m.
Chanel Miller is a writer and artist who received her B.A. in literature from UC Santa Barbara. Her critically acclaimed memoir, Know My Name, is a New York Times bestseller, a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, and a National Book Critics Circle Award winner, and was named the best book of 2019 in Time, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, NPR, and People, among others.
She is a 2019 Time Next 100 honoree and a 2016 Glamour Woman of the Year honoree under her pseudonym, "Emily Doe."
Miller's presentation is about personal agency and using storytelling as a form of healing.
The event organizers credit Chanel Miller with bringing awareness about sexual assault into the center of mainstream conversations, and inspiring survivors to speak their truth.
The Take Back the Night series is the result of a collaboration between the UCSC Womxn’s Center, Campus Advocacy Resources and Education (CARE), and the Dean of Students Office.
“It is my hope that inviting Chanel Miller to speak with UCSC will bring wider attention to the issues she covers in her memoir, and send a message about the kind of campus community we want to cultivate,” said Garrett Naiman, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students. “She has gifted all of us with her voice and her truth, and her visit should prompt us to elevate our dialogue about sexual assault and supporting survivors at UC Santa Cruz and beyond.
“The book has transformed conversations about how we should be approaching education, prevention, and intervention services on and off college campuses around the country,” Naiman said.
“Reading Know My Name challenged me to think about the ways I, as an individual, administrator, and community member can work with others to push for better, more thoughtful, and caring ways of responding to the needs of those in our community who have been impacted by sexual violence,” Naiman said.
To register for the event as well as pick up a free copy of the book Know My Name, follow the links below.
Each day throughout the week will include a different program to highlight and support survivors on campus. The week will start with a conversation about Know My Name. Organizers will give out a limited number of free copies to students, faculty, and staff.
Monday, April 25: Know My Name Book Talk
We invite you to read on your own, then join CARE and the Womxn’s Center for a facilitated conversation about healing and the strength of survivors as we focus on Chanel Miller's Know My Name on Monday, April 25 from 4–5 p.m. We will discuss themes and reflect on Miller's memoir as a group to further analyze how to best support survivors in our own communities. The conversation will have a special focus on Miller's Impact Statement and the final chapters to discuss the strength and resilience of survivors in our UCSC community.
Tuesday, April 26: Keynote: Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller will share her story on personal agency and using storytelling as a form of healing. This will include a reading, interview, and Q&A section monitored by students and staff. Miller is the bestselling author of Know My Name.
Wednesday, April 27: Denim Day
Denim Day is a campaign to prevent sexual violence through education and public awareness, and to wear jeans for a purpose. This year, Denim Day will engage with the community, both virtually and in person, and provide opportunities for community members to share their experiences. You can check out tabling on April 20th and 27th in the Quarry Plaza from 10–1 p.m. for awareness and education about the day's significance. You can also check out the Clothesline Project displayed at the Student Health Outreach and Promotion Office, which allows community members to bear witness to art created by survivors and allies.
Thursday, April 28: Survivor Share Out and March
Register for the Survivor Share Out
Register to Share during Survivor Share Out Speak Out
Register for the March
The Survivor Share Out event includes a march from the Quarry Plaza to the Oakes Upper Lawn from 4:30–5:30 p.m. The event will culminate with a speak out in which survivors are given the opportunity to share their stories and experiences between 6–9 p.m. This will provide a space for conversation and community with survivors and allies on campus.
Friday April 29: Trauma-Informed Yoga & Kintsugi Craft Kit
Community Healing Day seeks to nourish and create a safe space to heal as an inclusive community through reconnecting with art and movement. We welcome and encourage survivors from all backgrounds and stories to join us on Friday, April 29th between 10:30–1:30 p.m. for a healing yoga class at the Womxn’s Center (Cardiff House)! We also encourage you all to register for a free Kintsugi kit. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold—based on the idea that by embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art.
