“No Means No” – Kappa Psi Deltas Host Sexual Assault Awareness March

Organized by Frostburg students Jasmine Smiley and Kayla Donaldson, the Frostburg Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., hosted a campus-wide march with the goal of raising awareness on an important and prevalent issue on college campuses throughout the country: sexual assault. The march carried important messages about the statistics of sexual assault at colleges and universities, resources for those in need, and, most importantly, knowing what is and is not consent.

Kayla Donaldson gave a speech to begin the event at Clocktower Quad/Delaney Square, full of firsthand experience of college-related sexual violence and nationwide statistics. “When I wanted to do this march, I didn’t know how to manifest it. I didn’t know who to talk to. How to make it happen,” she said. It is when she did not know how to bring the march to fruition that the opportunity with Frostburg’s Kappa Psi Deltas presented itself. Kayla and DST member Jasmine Smiley worked together, along with the rest of the sorority, to bring awareness to this important topic to Frostburg’s campus.

“[Sexual assault] is one the most violent acts the human race has faced and continues to be facing,” Donaldson said, “People seem to have the wrong idea of what consent is.”

“If it is not a verbal yes, it’s a no. If they’re not responding, it’s a no. It’s a no until the letters Y-E-S come out of their mouth.”

Jasmine Smiley spoke to the crowd next, beginning with a 1 minute and 8 second moment of silence. The sliver of time between sexual assaults on any given day in the U.S. “Today, we march for the survivors, both known and unknown,” she said, “you all are here today because you believe that enough is enough.”

For attendees of the march, DST provided free t-shirts to wear as the students walked through the Frostburg community. “The pledge on this t-shirt is a contract and a promise that you are making to yourself. Please take in this moment, allow it to spark a change in you.”

She finished, saying, “Sexual assault should not be normalized in society.”

Inspired by the passionate speeches of both Donaldson and Smiley, students lined up to begin their march up to Main Street. Chants of “No Means No! Save Women Stop Rape, Save Men Stop Rape! Don’t touch grab, grope, or hit. No one ever asked for it!” and cheers of support from the community filled the air. Passing cars honked their horns and waved as they admired the powerful and passionate movement students made down Main Street to bring awareness to this important message.

Rounding the corner at Center Street, the crowd rejoined back on campus in the Upper Quad for an open mic-circle, where others were encouraged to speak on their own experiences if they chose to.

Students left campus that day feeling connected to the people around them, knowing that they are not alone in their experiences and in their fight to end campus sexual violence. The march serves as a catalyst for future events related to the topic, to begin and keep open a conversation about how to make our campus a safer place for everyone.