On Tuesday, the 19, the group SAFE Men held a Summit at the UW Conference Center.
The group sought to teach people, primarily men, with speakers and shared stories about gender-based violence prevention and engage with anti-oppression ideas.
“We want to engage with the stereotypes of masculinity and of being a man,” Bob Vines, the program coordinator for the Campfire Initiative and a prevention specialist with the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, said.
The SAFE Men program is a local initiative designed to empower men to engage with positive social change and to understand topics like gender-based violence.
The program consists of ten men who meet monthly and talk about social issues for an entire year.
“We find the counter stories to challenge the narrative [surrounding masculinity],” Vines said.
The SAFE Men Summit is similar to the monthly meetings but is available to the greater public.
Throughout the day, many were allowed to present an hour-long breakout session that ranged from general talks about misogyny to how poetry can help facilitate complicated conversation.
Each focuses on stories, with each speaker bringing their perspective to the mix to create an environment of empathy.
“The key to cultural change is through empathy, and the key to empathy is storytelling,” Vines said.
