By Karen Wanjico
interim health education coordinator
Did you know there are 28 universities or organizations in Washington state that are implementing green dot?
I want you to know this because sometimes it feels like we are alone in this attempt to end violence. In fact, if you want to see something really encouraging you should visit this webpage and see how green dot is spreading: http://livethegreendot.com/map_by_state.html.
Green dot started with one person, Dr. Dorothy Edwards, and she shared her vision with others. She shared the importance of being an active bystander, and people joined her in her vision of a violence-free culture. Green Dot started at EWU when a few staff heard Edwards speaking at a conference in California, and brought the vision and message back to campus. We are now entering our fourth year of promoting green dot. Stories of people stepping up are coming in; people are beginning to do their green dots.
If you have made a decision to do green dots, I want you to know, you are not alone. There are many others at EWU who are living the green dot. They step up and step in. They use their influence and lead by example. If you have not done so already, can you take a minute and join Eastern’s green dot community on facebook? Show your support. Receive encouraging updates. Ask questions. Share your green dot stories. Help the community to grow.
The alternative to green dot is unimaginable. We go back to a culture where people are not empowered to help one another. We continue to have high rates of violence on college campuses. Men and women continue to be victimized.
You have probably heard these quotes, “Be the change you want to see,” and “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” At EWU we are working together to make a non-violent campus a reality. You are not alone.
