Take Back the Night to host Julie Gregory
Prominent speaker and author Julie Gregory will be featured as part of this year’s Take Back the Night at Central Michigan University.
Beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium, Gregory will share her experiences as a survivor of childhood abuse, which are detailed in her book “Sickened.”
Take Back the Night President Emma Tuthill said Gregory, who has visited CMU's campus before, will have plenty of beneficial insights for those who attend.
“We’re going to ask her to talk about kind of how she learned to cope,” the Ohio senior said. “I think that is something that a lot of people struggle with, knowing how to move forward.”
As usual, the speaker portion of the event will be followed by a march through the downtown area of Mount Pleasant. The walk is meant to signify a turning away from the fear that is stereotypically linked to women who walk the streets alone.
The march ends at the Veterans' Memorial Library, where a “speak-out” will be held. This is an opportunity for others to share their own stories of abuse or survival in a safe, judgment-free environment.
“We’ve been pretty successful with this consistently,” Tuthill said. “We normally get good feedback.”
The event is funded in part by the CMU Program Board, as well as the Student Budget Allocation Committee. Take Back the Night will also be covering taxi rides for people back to campus after the march.
