April 16th is the National Day of Silence! It’s also the night of the Washington County Pride Project’s annual Night of Noise at SMYRC!
After being silent all day or supporting those who are, come and speak your mind at this FREE Open Mic event from 7-10pm. This event is open to LGBTQ youth and allies of all ages.
Can’t wait to see you there! Speak up! Get loud!
“What is the Day of Silence?
Founded in 1996 by students at the University of Virginia, and currently officially sponsored in
K-12 schools by GLSEN, the Day of Silence is the largest student-led action to protest the
bullying and harassment of LGBT people and their allies. Participants take a day long vow of
silence and distribute or wear speaking cards with information about anti-LGBT bias and ways
for students and others to “end the silence.” Through Breaking the Silence events, which are
typically held at the end of the school day, students can speak out against harassment and
demand change for their schools and communities.
What can the Day of Silence do?
The Day of Silence can be used as a tool to affect positive change – both personally and
community-wide. The Day of Silence is designed to draw attention to the bullying and
harassment faced by LGBT students everywhere. Silence is used as a tactic to provide a space
for personal reflections about the consequences of being silent and silenced. The Day of
Silence is an effort that can raise awareness on this issue, prompting people to talk and think
about it. Think about what change is needed in your community and how the Day of silence
can be a building block in your efforts to create change.” (taken from the GLSEN Day of Silence Organizing Manual)
