College’s Tribute Drives Home The Reality of Domestic Violence

The 'Empty Place at the Table' display is a tribute to those lost because of do- mestic violence. It will be on view Feb. 14 during an awareness program at Windward Community College. Photo from Kate Zane.

Windward Community College is bringing awareness to the problem of domestic violence by hosting a free visual tribute to local victims Feb. 14.

Part of a national campaign, “An Empty Place at the Table” will display place settings inside Hale Akoakoa cafeteria accompanied by a picture of those lost to violence.

“The main table will feature a reconstructed display augmented by a side table memorializing more recent victims than those represented in the primary display. It is a sobering and moving exhibit,” said co-coordinator Kate Zane.

News articles about recent instances of domestic violence deaths in the community also will be on view. With a focus on individual victims, the exhibit aims to highlight the impact of domestic and sexual violence on families and communities, and to rally support for actively working to end it.

Following the theme “Extinguish Domestic Violence,” the exhibit will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a noon to 2 p.m. program with the reading of the names of local victims as well as the reading of poetry and prose to commemorate the lives of women, children and men killed in acts of domestic violence. The readings will feature issues of domestic violence as well as healthy relationships and will be conducted by Janine Oshiro’s English students and M.J. Lewis’s language arts students. There also will be music composed by Renee Arakaki and WCC students from her digital music composition class.

Visitors may leave messages for the victims and share their thoughts about the display. The program is open to the public and includes refreshments.

The college’s Domestic Violence Awareness Committee organized the exhibit, which is funded by the Sexual Violence Prevention Grant Project in a partnership with UH Manoa.

For more information, call Zane at 235-7447.