ASUW approves $8,350 for Take Back the Night, Persian

The Associated Students of the University of Wyoming unanimously approved a total of $8,350 for the Women’s Action Network and the Persian Student Association Tuesday night.

Persian Student Association President Mohammad Soltaniehha speaks at the Tuesday Associated Students of the University of Wyoming meeting. The Persian Student Association was approved for $7,300 to put together the Persian New Year event in March. (Photo: Katie Glennemeier)

ASUW approved $1,050 to the Women’s Action Council for the annual Take Back the Night event. According to Elizabeth Hiatt, president of the student organization, this event is an international event started in the late 1960s and has been going on at UW for 15 years.

For the event, students will march to locations around campus that need better lighting and places where people feel uncomfortable or unsafe. The march will end with a dinner and conversations with advocates from Laramie’s Albany County SAFE Project, a local program that provides violence counseling via a hotline.

“It’s really about taking a stand against sexual assault, domestic violence, and violence against women. I feel that this is a really important event,” said Hiatt.

The Persian Student Association was approved for $7,300 to put together the Persian New Year event in March. Most of the funds, a total of $7,150, will go toward food and catering. The group plans to book a UW band to play traditional Iranian music and a Laramie dance group for traditional dancing. The menu will feature Persian food and tea will be served before and after dinner, as it tradition in Persian culture.

“We want to present our culture and history to the people on campus. We want to present an actual face of our country,” said Persian Student Association President