IndiaPost.com - Standing ovation for 'Yoni Ki Baat'

LOS ANGELES: For the first time in Los Angeles, performances of Yoni ki Baat were held on March 24 and 25 at The Center for the Preservation of Democracy in downtown LA.

Organized by South Asian Network, and directed by Shishir Kurup of As Vishnu Dreams fame, both performances got standing ovations portraying Shishir Kurup's artistic brilliance and the fabulous work by the actresses. The proceeds will benefit South Asian Network's Violence Prevention Unit, called AWAZ - Voices Against Violence.

The performances consisted of fourteen individual pieces authored by different South Asian women. Among the eight performers Meera Simhan and Viji Nathan were inspired enough, during rehearsals, to add their own heartfelt pieces to the script.

The performance addressed issues such as the horrors of marital rape, trafficking, feticide, bride burning, honor killings. Also expressed were the joys of love, sex, masturbation and of course the awkwardness of the first menstruation. This performance was to a great extent about language and expression - the words we use to talk about issues and the silence and taboo around them that allows for lack of accountability.

"Our goal is to address existing issues and raise awareness about violence against women and girls. Dialogue and Art are powerful tools to strengthen our community" says Rubaiyat Karim, Awaz unit coordinator at South Asian Network, instrumental in organizing this event. Rubaiyat feels a collective model of accountability is instrumental in engendering change.

Being in the first line of defense in working with domestic violence, child abuse including child sexual abuse, elder abuse, human trafficking for the purposes of labor and sex work, sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace for the past five years Rubaiyat has come across hundreds of women and children who are survivors of gender based abuse. Often she finds the blame is placed on the woman who leaves an abusive situation, for bringing negative attention to the community and for breaking up the family.

Hamid Khan, executive director at South Asian Network believes Yoni Ki Baat is an ongoing dialogue that exists amongst all of us; a dialogue that encourages one to celebrate one's body and one's personhood. When the community heard about this project Hamid was asked by a community member "What more is left for you all to do next?" Whatever South Asian Network takes on as its next project, it has certainly embraced a difficult and important subject with Yoni ki Baat. The initial goal of this project was to raise awareness of gender based violence and related subjects, and to raise funds for the AWAZ - Violence against Women clients, these goals were achieved, along with leaving people wanting more.

Tasneem Ebrahim, treasurer and board member at South Asian Network stated while addressing the AWAZ - Violence Against Women Unit "Execution was meticulous and I know a lot of people walked away impressed. You definitely have raised the bar for future South Asian Network events."