CAPE GIRARDEAU – The Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau will host “Men of Courage: Together We End Sexual Assault” on Monday, May 6, 2024.
This is the first time an event like this has been held in the Cape Girardeau community. It comes at the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month that occurs every April. The event is open to all men and promotes that it will be an empowering event that promises to inspire and ignite positive change!
Rick Hetzel, Master Franchisor for Fresh Healthy Cafe – USA and Retired Cape Girardeau Chief of Police, knows the importance men play in ending abuse and assault.
“Men are women’s strongest allies. Women can easily tell other women that assault is not ok, but when men tell other men, that is when real change happens,” says Hetzel, “I’m looking forward to the Men of Courage event and what Mr. Wilson has to share with the Cape Girardeau Community.”
This breakfast event will take place on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in the University Center Ballroom. Doors will open and breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. and the event will begin at 7:30 a.m., with end time around 8:45 a.m.
Tickets are available at https://MenofCourage2024.eventbrite.com.
Tickets are $10 apiece or $100 for a reserved table for eight. Parking passes will be provided to all attendees.
“Men of Courage” will feature a talk by Edward Wilson, aka Obbie West, who is an international spoken word artist, advocate, and author. Originally from Los Angeles, California, he is a retiree from the United States Army. His work as an author began in 2011 and culminated in the 2021 publication of his book, Blossom, a collection of his acclaimed poetry.
Obbie has invested a personal and sincere interest in shifting the climate around sexual assault and harassment throughout the U.S. Military, universities, and communities at large.
“This event is really about men and women working together to end sexual assault. It’s an important step,” says Jessica Hill, Executive Director of the Safe House of Southeast Missouri, and Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau President-Elect, “Zonta wants to be able to share that message and give the community tools to help advocate for that change”.
Men of Courage is sponsored by Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau with financial assistance provided by the Office of Addictions, SEMO Department of Nursing. Co-hosts include Safe House of Southeast Missouri, SEMO Network Against Sexual Violence, Semo Suicide Prevention, and Iota Chi.
To learn more about Obbie West, visit www.spokenadvocacy.com.
To learn more about Zonta, visit www.zonta.org