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 CAMPUS LIFE CAMPUS LIFE