The Women and Gender Advocacy Center will host a new expo, “#MeToo & Radical Self Love” on Wednesday, April 18 from 5-8:30 p.m. in the Lory Student Center.

The event is designed to give primary and secondary survivors of sexual violence a space to explore how to engage in a healthy, communicative and compassionate relationship with themselves said Kristy Kumar, WGAC assistant director of educational programs.

“I think the words ‘self-care’ have been used a lot lately but without going into what that might mean for survivors of sexual violence,” Kumar wrote in an email to The Collegian. “We’re told to go do ‘self-care’ on our own without being supported around exploring what that might mean … We wanted to create an event that honored the complexities of finding what gives us energy – knowing this might change depending on the day or hour.”

The event will begin in the Cherokee Park Ballroom, after which attendees will break off to different stations set up around the LSC. Stations include a rage room, massages, therapy dogs and culturally relevant healing spaces led by Student Diversity Programs and Services offices. Participants will also be provided a buffet dinner and gift bags.

The event is free and no registration is required.

The WGAC was inspired by Sonya Renee Taylor’s movement “The Body is Not an Apology,” which promotes radical self-love as a revolutionary act, Kumar wrote. 

Through the expo, WGAC hopes to honor survivors’ experiences and celebrate their healing. It is one of many programs organized for this Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“We believe an integral part of sexual assault awareness is providing support to those who have experienced violence firsthand, as well as those who serve as support systems to loved ones,” Kumar wrote.

Collegian reporter Samantha Ye can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @samxye4.