Meet the Panelists: Tremaine Barnes
Speaker Name: Tremaine Barnes
Occupation: Activist, Lyricist and Singer
Organisation: The Barefoot Campaign
Tremaine’s Story:
Tremaine Barnes is an activist, lyricist, singer and founder of The Barefoot Campaign in support of survivors of rape and sexual abuse. She is part of the ACTIVATE! Change Drivers Network and is focused on self-empowerment as the means of building a better South Africa, believing that when people are self-empowered they realize that they possess the power to change their own lives.
The Barefoot Campaign is aimed at creating rape and sexual abuse awareness and giving support to survivors of sexual violence. We walk/run barefoot to acknowledge that absolutely nothing can compare to the physical, emotional and psychological suffering survivors of rape and sexual abuse experience. Through being barefoot we also acknowledge survivors’ strength, because even though walking/running barefoot can be uncomfortable and painful at times, they have been through so much worse and they are still standing.
Other sister organisations affiliated with The Barefoot Campaign are Women to Women and #Run4Her.
Women To Women is a Kimberley based NGO focused on Women’s empowerment. The organization provides support services, has a shelter for women and children escaping from abusive situations and runs various community outreach programs.
#RUN4HER is a running campaign. The founder Sabie Mashigo, a Survivor of Sexual Violence herself, is an athlete and she runs every race and training run with a black armband in support of Survivors of Sexual Violence to raise awareness. Together with other athletes, they run the last kilometre of their races barefoot in support of survivors.
Contribution:
There can never be any fruitful conversation on Activism without Activists. Tremaine is more than just an Activist, she not only does the work is passionate and speaks about; she has also made it her duty to create a platform for others to practice their activism. She doesn’t only talk the talk and walk the walk, she runs for justice, barefoot! Against all odds, her work speaks volumes. Her voice is thus at the very heart of the campaign.
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