While we were about halfway through V-Day USC’s One Billion Rising video project, in which we asked various USC and Columbia people to share why they’re rising against violence against women, our filmmaker OK Keyes asked me when I was doing my video. I shook my head.

“No, I’m just coordinating this,” I said. “No video needed.”

Keyes said I should.  I asked her when she was going to do one.  She said, “No, I’m the filmmaker.”

I shrugged. “I’ll do one if you do one.”

And so the challenge was born.

Why am I rising?  Because I can imagine a world without sexual or domestic violence.  And I’m ready to make it happen.

Join us in making [a new] story—a story of life, not death, of healing, not hurting, of limitless possibilities, and not endless limitations, of people and communities joining together, not being torn apart. We are standing up. We are raising our voices. We are one billion rising.

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As a part of The Vagina Monologues at USC’s One Billion Rising video project, Kristin, a graduate student and a wonderful colleague of mine, explains how her experience working in violence prevention both locally and abroad has shaped her desire to rise up and end violence against women. Listen to her story here, and be inspired.

Let the rising continue.