(Brooklyn Reader) The New York Coalition to End Female Genital Mutilation hosted the inaugural V-March on Saturday to call on city agencies to organize a coordinated response to end female genital mutilation (FGM).
The V-March, a celebration of women’s “voices, victories and vitality,” began at City Hall with opening remarks by Councilwoman Alicka Ampry-Samuels, sponsor of the march. A procession of 15-20 volunteers then trekked to Prospect Park, brandishing anti-FGM signs and chanting, “Liberate her!” The group assembled at Prospect Park’s Concert Grove, where V-March co-organizer Kimberly Knox hosted a series of performances.
Although commonly considered non-prevalent in the US, half a million women and girls are at risk of experiencing FGM, 65,000 of whom reside in New York City, according to the coalition.
