The Vagina Monologues will celebrate its tenth aniversary, V To The Tenth, on Saturday, April 12^th, 2008, V-Day, in the New Orleans Arena, with performances of The Vagina Monologues by international V-Day activists including Kenya, Afghanistan, Iraq, The Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eastern Europe , men standing up for women and much more. Musical and celebrity guests will include Calpernia Addams, Glenn Close, Rosario Dawson, Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Hudson, Julia Stiles, Marisa Tomei, Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey and musicians Eve, Common, Joss Stone, and New Orleans' own Charmaine Neville.

"V To The Tenth" is organized by V-Day, with a mission to stop violence against women and girls, to be a catalyst promotings creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations in fighting to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day was formed in 1998, when this mission crystalized around Eve Ensler, her award-winning play "The Vagina Monologues", and people sharing that vision and performance.

As part of the "V To The Tenth" celebration, Friday, April 11^th will feature the New Orleans premiere of "Swimming Upstream", aka "The Katrina Monologues", a play featuring the storm stories of local New Orleans women, mentored by Eve Ensler, and organized by Carol Bebelle, the director of Ashé Cultural Center, a partner of NOWAC's, written with contributions from a large number of the New Orleans community, including Asali DeVan. More information on "Swimming Upstream" may be found at here, from the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

On December 11^th, the Katrina Warriors Network, outreach co-ordinators for "V To The Tenth", hosted a presentation on these upcoming events, featuring, besides Eve Ensler and Carol Bebelle, and other workers on "Swimming Upstream", the New Orleans spoken word artist Asali DeVan and Mother Tongue. Both Asali DeVan (in March and November '07) and Mother Tongue (in October '07) have visited us, to share their experiences and performances with the NOWAC community.

The V-Day organization hosted a kick-off luncheon on January 10^th in Los Angeles, with a celebrity luncheon hosted by Glamour Magazine. At this luncheon, Asali DeVan was presented with the 2008 Vagina Warrior Award.

The Katrina Warriors Network is a group of organizations and individuals working to enhance the well-being of women and girls in New Orleans and the Gulf South, with founders including the Ashé Cultural Center, V-Day, Newcomb College Center for Research on Women, and others.

These two evenings will open minds and hearts and raise much needed attention and funds for groups working to end violence against women and girls around the world, and in New Orleans and the Gulf South.