On April 16, V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, celebrated its tenth anniversary, V TO THE TENTH, in New Orleans Friday - Saturday, April 11-12 at the New Orleans Arena and Louisiana Superdome. Over 30,000 people attended the events over the two days. The event featured over 125 speakers, over 40 stars. Two days of revolutionary conversations, slam poets, singers, performers, storytelling, astounding art. Katrina exposed what was going on in New Orleans and the Gulf South: the lack of resources, the lack of care for its poor in general and its women in particular.
Nadine Abou Zaki took part in “Voices of Karama”, a panel discussion with women’s activist from across the Middle East. The panel was co-Moderated by Hibaaq Osman, V-Day Special Representative to the Middle East, and Pat Mitchell, V-Board member, and featured Amal Mahmoud from Cairo, Egypt and Afaf Jabiri from Amman, Jordan. “Voices of Karama” was held at the occasion of V-Day’s 10th Anniversary “V TO THE TENTH” on April 11-12, 2008 in New Orleans.
She also participated in festivities kick off with a V TO THE TENTH SUPERLOVE PARADE lead by women of New Orleans and the Gulf South and Dr. Denis Mukwege from the Panzi Hospital in Congo. The starting point was Congo Square (the place where Jazz began and a site where slaves would historically gather to preserve their culture) and the procession, with African drumming, lead to SUPERLOVE. The parade was about the right to return, as many of the women of the Diaspora participating in the parade were thrown out of public housing, while others left New Orleans during and after the storm and have never returned.