Rising for Freedom in 2025 + My New Role As One Billion Rising US Coordinator

One of the most meaningful collaborations of my career has been with One Billion Rising, the world’s largest mass action to end gender-based violence. Launched in 2012 by V (formerly Eve Ensler), One Billion Rising uses dance, music, art, and collective action to demand an end to violence against for women and girls (cisgender and transgender), gender-expansive people, and the Earth. The movement spans over 200 countries, bringing together survivors, artists, grassroots organizers, and movement leaders in a global uprising each year.

I first became involved with One Billion Rising in 2019 when I was invited to write We Are Rising, a song that became an anthem for the movement, performed and danced to by activists worldwide. In 2020, I wrote Nos Estamos Levantando, the Spanish version, to help amplify the movement’s message in Spanish-speaking communities. This year, I am deeply honored to take on a new role as the U.S. Coordinator for One Billion Rising, working to support, strengthen, and amplify Risings across the country.

Rise for Freedom in 2025

This year’s campaign is Rise for Freedom, and as we rise together for freedom in 2025, the challenges we face in the U.S. are immense. We are witnessing a rise in fascism and attacks on our rights and safety, with a new influx of known perpetrators of sexual harassment and violence at the helm. From attacks on trans rights, increasing threats to migrant communities, and ongoing assaults on our right to organize and protest, to the dismantling of critical environmental regulations and the continued funding of genocide and apartheid in Palestine, we are living in a time that demands bold and creative resistance. 

During our One Billion Rising: Art, Activism, and Creative Resistance Zoom meeting in November, V spoke about the power of the swarm—a unified and coordinated force moving in solidarity to protect each threatened community. This powerful imagery reminds us that when we work together, we become an unstoppable force for justice. One Billion Rising’s 2025 campaign, Rise for Freedom, is a direct response to these crises. It offers a platform for collective action through art, solidarity, and hope. It is not just about resisting violence but about building a world in which true liberation is possible.

From V-Day in February through April, thousands of Risings will take place around the around world. Some will be large-scale public demonstrations, filling the streets with music, dance, and protest. Others will take place in theaters, schools, and community spaces, where storytelling and art will expose the realities of gender-based violence and uplift the voices of survivors.

Here’s how we are organizing across the U.S. and the resources available to support you in making an impact. 

• Updated Rising Toolkits (English and Spanish): Our updated toolkits are your go-to guides for organizing impactful Risings in your community. Available in both English and Spanish, these resources provide creative ideas, promo tips, and strategies to mobilize your community through dance, music, theater, and visual art. We’re excited to expand accessibility and reach with this dual-language offering.
• Campus Guide: Designed for students and educators, the Campus Guide equips you to organize Risings on college campuses. It includes strategies for outreach, event planning, and resources to address issues such as campus sexual violence, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. Inspire your campus to rise!
• Disability Justice Guide: We are proud to announce the release of our Disability Justice Guide. This resource offers practical steps to ensure your Rising is welcoming to all participants and addresses systemic ableism.

Across the country, communities are organizing incredible risings in response to the urgent issues of our time. From mass dance actions and artistic performances to direct actions demanding policy change, these events reflect the diversity and strength of the One Billion Rising movement.

Click here to see a full list of upcoming risings and find an event near you.

As we move through V-Day and into the months ahead, I invite you to rise with us. Whether you join a public action, create art, or organize in your community, you are part of this movement. The fight to end gender-based violence is a fight for our collective liberation, and it will take all of us—across movements, across borders, across generations.

We are One Billion Rising, and we are unstoppable!