Feminist comedy and everything Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The Swiss, a popular UW Tacoma hangout, will be hosting Stand Up for YWCA — a showcase of feminist comedy — Oct. 12. The show will give a platform to female comedians while also supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month; or as Jamika Scott (organizer and founder of the event) and the YWCA like to call it in order to promote action against domestic violence: Domestic Action Month.

We sat down with Scott to discuss all things YWCA, including the upcoming event, her personal experience and what else is happening in October. Awareness Month includes exciting events like restaurant fundraisers, including the one at Doyle’s Pub all month, which will donate 25 percent of food purchases and $2 for every Manny’s Pale Ale bought to the YWCA. Wingman Brewers and The Rusty Cleavers — a bluegrass band — collaborated to make the The Old Plank Pils beer. They are donating 25 percent of the proceeds from all pints and growlers of this special brew to the YWCA. These are just a few of the events to look forward to this month.

Scott said the YWCA has impacted her life by putting her in touch with “people who are passionate about the work that they do in a very real way … working with domestic violence survivors and knowing that each survivor comes in with different needs and a different background.”

She also says they have to stay up to date on resources in the community because there are so many different ways that domestic violence affects the survivors.

As for putting together the much anticipated Stand up for YWCA event, people from every corner of the YWCA got together to discusses possible ideas focusing around the theme of “healthy love, healthy Tacoma.”

Even though YWCA shelters serve all genders, Scott “really wanted to focus on having women doing comedy, and in particular feminist comedy.”

The feminist focus comes from her belief that it “allows all of us to live and be in a place that’s a little more accepting.”

The stand-up event seems to be drawing out many members of the UW community. While the YWCA was anticipating a diverse crowd, Scott never foresaw the amount of younger people interested.

Because of this new revelation, Scott believes one of the best aspects of Stand Up for YWCA is that comedy “brings people of all ages together.”

When asked if they would be making this event an annual staple on the October docket, Scott said optimistically:

“I know that everybody in the agency is really happy and really excited about it, [and] I think if it goes well it’s probably something we could see ourselves doing, maybe annually, maybe just during DVAM, but who knows.”

So, we’re left on a bit of a cliff hanger. But one thing is for sure — you don’t want to miss Stand Up for the YWCA.