Content Warning: This arti-
cle contains mentions of sexual 
assault.
The University of Michigan’s 
Sexual Assault Prevention and 
Awareness Center’s (SAPAC) 
37th annual survivor speak-
out began with a moment of 
silence Sunday night. About 
70 U-M community members 
came together at the Michigan 
Union’s Pendleton Room to 
share and listen to stories from 
sexual assault survivors. The 
crowd fell quiet as attendees 
paid respect to those impact-
ed by sexual assault but were 
unable to attend the speak-out. 
The theme of this year’s 
event was “Metamorphosis.” In 
the spirit of the theme, attend-
ees were invited to write anon-
ymous positive messages and 
affirmations for survivors on 
butterfly-shaped sticky notes 
and attach them to a poster. 
“Thank you for sharing,” one 
note read. “You are so brave 
and I believe you.” 
All 
the 
lights in the 
Pendleton 
Room were 
dim, but the 
space 
was 
aglow 
with 

fairy lights and glow sticks 
held by each of the guests, who 
waved them in support of each 
speaker instead of applauding. 
Speakers 
shared 
poems, 
affirmations 
and 
stories 
addressing their experiences 
with intimate partner violence, 
sexual assault, stalking and 
the long-term impacts of sex-
ual violence on mental health. 
Anonymous submissions were 
also read aloud by SAPAC vol-
unteers. To protect the pri-
vacy of the speakers and at the 
request of event organizers, 
The Michigan Daily will not be 
publishing any quotes shared at 
the event.
In an interview with The 
Daily, LSA senior Thiany Rid-
dihough, 
co-coordinator 
of 
SAPAC’s Survivor Empower-
ment and Ally Support program 
(SEAS), said it was important to 
allow survivors to participate 
in any way they felt comfort-
able.
“I think the real significance 
of this event is allowing survi-
vors 
to 
come 
and 
be 
in 
a 
space 
where they don’t have 
to 
share,” 
Riddihough 

said. “They’re not required to 
do anything, but they can sit 
with people in the community 
they know that feel love for 
them, feel empathy for them, 
and where they can feel com-
fortable to share their story if 
they want.”
Multiple 
attendees 
addressed the emotional trau-
ma that accompanies experi-
ences of sexual violence. They 
described feelings of isolation, 
anger, shame and grief, as well 
as struggles with mental ill-
ness. 
LSA senior Zoe Lainis, co-
coordinator of SEAS, told The 
Daily that creating a safe space 
on campus for survivors to 
verbalize their stories is more 
important than ever.

“It’s just to know you’re not 
alone … on this campus,” Lai-
nis said. “We’ve had a lot of 
issues at this University with 
sexual assault, and so (the 
speak-out) reinforces that you 
are supported.” 

News
Wednesday, April 20, 2022 — 3
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Read more at 
MichiganDaily.com

‘You’re not alone’: SAPAC hosts 37th 
annual survivor speak-out session

SAMANTHA RICH
Daily Staff Reporter

Annual event hosted at Michigan Union, attendees participate in 
‘Metamorphosis’ theme

Read more at 
MichiganDaily.com

The Sikh Student Association 
(SSA) hosted around 100 Uni-
versity of Michigan students and 
community members Sunday 
evening in the William Monroe 
Trotter Multicultural Center to 
celebrate Vaisakhi, a Sikh holiday. 
The event was co-sponsored by 
the Office of Multi-Ethnic Stu-
dent Affairs (MESA), and indi-
viduals of all religious identities 
were encouraged to attend.
The Sikh faith is a monotheis-
tic religion, meaning that follow-
ers of Sikhism only worship one 
God. Equality among all of God’s 
creations regardless of race or 
social standing and the freedom 
to choose and practice religion 
freely are core beliefs in the Sikh 
faith.
Sikh music filled the room 

throughout Sunday’s event, and 
attendees were treated to a tra-
ditional Sikh dinner. The menu 
included cha, mango lassi, samo-
sas, paneer and Gulab Jamun, a 
solid milk-based dessert.
LSA senior Ramneet Chauhan, 
SSA co-chair, said Vaisakhi is a 
multifaceted event for her student 
organization. She said Vaisakhi 
is both religiously and culturally 
significant for those who identify 
as Sikh.
“For Punjabis, this event is a 
Harvest festival, and for Sikhs, it is 
the birth of the Khalsa, which is a 
festival set by Guru Gobind Singh 
in 1699,” Ramneet Chauhan said. 
“Basically, we are celebrating both 
the religious side and the cultural 
sides for this event.”
The SSA members gave a pre-
sentation to the audience about 
the Sikh religion throughout his-
tory and into the present day. Sikh-
ism is currently the fifth-largest 

religion in the world, with about 
25 million followers worldwide. 
Sikhism centers around the idea of 
oneness within humanity, equality 
for all and Seva — the act of selfless 
service and helping others without 
personal gain.
LSA sophomore Gurleen Chau-
han, who will be co-chair of the 
SSA board next year, shared an 
informational presentation about 
the holiday. Every year on April 
13 or 14, Vaisakhi commemorates 
Sikhism becoming a recognized 
faith, Gurleen Chauhan said. Dur-
ing the first Vaisakhi festival, Guru 
Gobind Singh challenged any Sikh 
to give his life for their faith. Five 
men went with him, and when 
they returned, they were made 
immortal by the Guru’s baptism 
ceremony, Gurleen Chauhan said.

Sikh Student Association celebrates 
Vaisakhi night with traditional dinner, 
martial art performances

SEJAL PATIL 
Daily Staff Reporter

Community gathers at Trotter Center commemorating the Sikhism faith

MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily

Design by Kate Shen

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