You may or may not have heard about Take Back The Night, but it is an international organization that holds events that aims to end gender violence. The first International Take Back The Night event was held in 1976, so that makes this year extra special as it is the 40th anniversary.

Take Back The Night started in response to the murder of Susan Alexander Speeth. Susan was a young microbiologist who was stabbed do death one block from her home while walking alone at night. Take Back The Night Events are held in over 30 countries and have been demanding change and safety for 40 years.

40 years later and women are still unsafe walking alone at night. There is news stories all the time about women who were assaulted, kidnapped, or murdered for something as simple as walking or running alone.

Take Back The Night will hold it's event in New Orleans on October 27th on Loyola University's uptown campus. This will be the 25th year that Loyola New Orleans hosts a Take Back The Night event. The event will start with speakers, then a march, and then an open mic portion that will be held on Tulane's campus. Take Back The Night is free and open to the public and might be coming to a city near you.

I encourage you to visit the organization's website, http://takebackthenight.org/foundation/ and make a donation if you are financially able to do so.