The last week of the first month of the semester will close with a week-long Stalking Awareness event in the University Center.
Unlike past years, which held similar events for an entire month on end, this event will be kept short and run from Monday, Jan. 27 until Friday, Jan. 31.
In addition to holding stalking awareness workshops, there are plans for a workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 28 about the Netflix original series “You,” based on the bestselling novel of the same name. This workshop will cover the normalization of stalking behaviors in present society.
On Thursday, Jan. 30, there will be a stalking workshop from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. which will address ways to receive help toward issues such as stalking or harassment. There will also be a table with university statistics and whiteboards where students can offer their own input.
To wrap up the week, the Anti-Violence Coalition will officially rebrand as the Anti-Violence Alliance and post more safety tips and general information on their Instagram, @fsuantiviolence, including other events such as the Sexual Assault Awareness week in April.
Leonardo Almanza, staff assistant in the Anti-Violence Alliance, encourages students to spread awareness of the event in person and on social media and to also find a comfortable environment they can go to if they feel unsafe. One safe zone he feels is a great resource is the LGBTQ+ Center in the UC, where the door is always unlocked.
If students feel they are being stalked or harassed, the counseling center is also a great resource. Appointments are free and staff is always readily available to help.
The Anti-Violence Alliance members are open to collaborations with other RSOs and are happy to accept any new members who visit CLACS and ask for them. “We are open armed to anyone who wants to join,” said Almanza.
There are many resources here on campus and it is important to Almanza and the other members of the Anti-Violence Alliance that their fellow students know who they can turn to if they need help, and how they can help each other.
For now, Almanza encourages everyone to “live in the moment and be blessed to be there.”