The Wayne State College chapter of It’s On Us, founded by current senior Cassie Bates, is just under two years old. The organization has bimonthly meetings and hold socials to encourage participation and educate students. The organization’s mission is to spread awareness about the prevalence of domestic violence and assault on college campuses.
Last week on Thursday, Oct. 2, the WSC chapter held a Tie Dye Social on the front lawn of Bowen Hall. The organization provided free tote bags and t-shirts for all interested students. The social opportunity gave everyone a safe space to talk about difficult subjects.
“I think for us, our whole purpose is to show other students that there are other students on campus that are here to support you and let you know that you’re not alone,” founder and co-president Cassie Bates said.
According to the official It’s On Us organizational website, student chapters have held over 6,000 educational programs on over 500 college campuses across the United States.
“Since it’s our first official event of the year, we just kind of wanted to break in,” co-president Mia Birch said. “We are bringing people in, telling them what It’s On Us stands for, how they can join the club and contribute, and kind of just educate them.”
Upon being asked about the scheduling of this social event in relation to recent campus events, the co-presidents explained that this event had been planned for months prior to the reported assault.
“We’ve had this planned since the beginning of school started, and then after the recent events… it felt like a good time for it to happen,” Bates said.
To become a member of the WSC chapter of It’s On Us, the only requirement is participation. Any current student who regularly attends the bimonthly meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday will be considered an active member. While there is currently no solid location, the venue is regularly announced through the emails from the co-presidents.
The WSC chapter of It’s On Us focuses on inclusivity and education.
“My mission has never changed: to spread awareness, foster prevention, and create a culture where survivors are believed and supported, and where students feel empowered to step in, speak up, and take care of one another,” Bates said. “Seeing this campus come together, seeing students uplift one another, and knowing that awareness is spreading makes me believe that what we are doing is making a difference.”
