These two sophomore Wildcats made a splash on campus at this year’s Take Back the Night, presented by the Rape Awareness Committee. Not only did both girls work hard to organize the event, but showed their passion for shedding light on the sexual assault and violence that occurs on campus—something most people still don’t believe happens at Davidson. The event was intense and inspirational, for all who attended. With each story, the ambiguity of sexual assault and violence is removed. While the event connected victims of sexual assault and rape, it opened the eyes of all those who attended but were not necessarily victims. Behind the scenes, Alexis Kaminski and Hailey Klabo worked hard to pull off the event, and still bravely shared their stories as well.
Alexis Kaminski was the main organizer of Take Back the Night (TBTN), a daunting task for her first event at Davidson and first real involvement in the Rape Awareness Committee (RAC). “It was really challenging for me,” she says, as it was the first time she fully shared her story. “I had always thought it was better not to talk about it,” she continued, because she didn’t want to be defined by her rape. Davidson allowed her to build her identity apart from it. She describes TBTN as “important not only for yourself, but for others as well.” She would love to grow TBTN during her next two years at Davidson. Along with being a part of RAC, through one of her classes she was able to teach vermicomposting (composting with worms)at the elementary school to 2nd and 5th graders. Alexis hopes to see more class and community involvement at Davidson, and wants to teach nutrition and healthy living at local schools before graduating. When she’s not in class or working with the RAC, Alexis lifeguards in Baker, hangs out at Warner, runs on the Greenway, and naps (a lot). After Davidson, Alexis might pursue graduate school and become a clinical psychologist, working with women and children. Or she might get certified in nutrition, yoga, spin, and pilates and open up her own women’s only fitness center—that assists women with both health and fitness education. The sky’s the limit for this girl.
Hailey Klabo, the president of the RAC, says TBTN was “a chance to tell her stories, hear others’, and spread awareness” on campus as well as “connect with people with similar experiences, to support everyone who has gone through this or has known someone who has.” There are both good and bad feelings that go with knowing the stories of people you see every day. On one hand, clearly no one should feel alone, but on the other hand, it says something about our campus culture. Klabo hopes to grow the RAC, and extend bystander education to each and every person on campus, along with other education about rape, sexual assault, and consent. As an ardent feminist, she would love to see expansion of dialogue on feminist issues, and create an environment where people actually look out for each other when they’re out on the weekends. When she’s not running RAC, she stays up to date on feminist issues, watches a lot of Netflix, and works out. She’s been inspired to work toward joining an NGO that deals with women’s issues and hopes to get a law degree after Davidson. One day we might be seeing this powerhouse on the floor in Washington, D.C.!