A stand-up comic, award-winning poet, journalist and activist will give a presentation on alcohol awareness, safer sex and sexual assault Tuesday [OCT. 12] at East Central University.
River Huston will speak at 7 p.m. in the Ataloa Theatre in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. Her free presentation is sponsored by the Campus Initiative to Reduce Crime Against Women (CIRCAW).
Described as blunt and irreverent, Huston talks about how her experiences have changed her life and how the choices others make change their lives. Audience members participate in the frank, interactive discussion through questions and comments using current media such as texting.
"River gives a moving talk about her own experiences with alcohol abuse and surviving sexual assault. She uses her background as a performer to keep things lively and humorous and believes in getting the audience involved in the presentation," said Dr. Jaime Burns, director of CIRCAW.
The presentation is planned in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.
Huston travels throughout the United States speaking on issues related to HIV/AIDS, sexuality, self-esteem and alcohol abuse. She has a degree in physical education and music from Hunter College and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Albright College in 1995.
She is the author of several books of poetry and was awarded the Dorthea Lange/Paul Taylor award for "A Positive Life: Portraits of Women Living with HIV." She is the creator of "Goddess: A New Guide to Feminine Wisdom."
In 2009 she was awarded the Leeway Transformation Award to honor how her work over the last 20 years has had an impact on society. She has been featured on Good Morning America, Showtime, ABC: Up To the Minute, Nightline and CNN as an activist, writer and performer. More information is available about Huston at www.riverhuston.com.
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