Walk a Mile in Her Shoes starts at 11 a.m. April 10 in the mall. File
The event is a “playful opportunity” to raise awareness about domestic violence.
By Sandy Cordell
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
High heels, low heels, wedges and open toe shoes will be welcome at this college 11 a.m.-noon April 10 in the mall.
The empowerment center is ready for the men of this college to put on high-heel shoes in preparation for the fifth annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.
Male faculty, staff, students and community partners will walk in high heels from the mall to the empowerment center at 703 Howard St., Melissa Flores-Valencia, senior coordinator of services for women and nontraditional students, said.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is the grand marshal for the event.
“Previously I was on the board of the Rape Crisis Center; they do great work,” Salazar on April 2 said.
“We continue to partner with them at the sheriff’s office every chance we get. So the event was a no brainer for me.”
“’I’m choosing not to wear the high heels this time. We are going to do it different. I ride on a rescue horse, so my horse is going to have red glittery hooves,” Salazar said.
The event is hosted by the empowerment center in April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
According to the national Sexual Violence Resource Center website, the month-long observation is meant to “raise awareness about sexual violence, educate communities on how to prevent it and bolster prevention efforts throughout the year.”
The international march is to bring awareness to women’s experience, help improve gender relationships and decrease the potential for violence.
“Our hope is to bring awareness, to also let women and men know that there is assistance out there, from the rape crisis center to the counseling service that we have on campus,” Flores-Valencia said.
“The event is a playful opportunity for men to raise awareness in their community about the serious causes, effects and remediations to men’s sexualized violence against women,” according to the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes website.
The organization has become a worldwide movement with tens of thousands of men raising money for local rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters and education.
The Rape Crisis Center, 4604 Centerview, is sponsoring the event.
The center provides crisis intervention, free confidential counseling and education. Advocates are available 24-hours a day.
To sign up or for more information, contact the empowerment center at 210-486-0455.
