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What Is The My Blue Lips Campaign?

The My Blue Lips Campaign is a national awareness campaign and fundraiser by the Women of Color Network, Inc. (WOCN, Inc.) with the purpose of bringing attention to domestic violence and sexual assault overall, and to lift up the specific impacts of this violence upon cis and trans women of color who are of Asian, African, Latinx, Native, Middle Eastern and Bi/Multiracial descent.

Everyone across race, ethnicity, and gender expression are invited to accept the My Blue Lips Challenge to help amplify the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault, and to lift up the following statistics specific to cis and trans women of color:

  • 4 out of every 10 American Indian/Alaska Native women have been a victim of rape, physical violence and/or stalking in their lifetime (46%). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report
  • 4 out of every 10 Black women have been a victim of rape, physical violence and/or stalking in their lifetime (43.7%). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report
  • In an API Institute on DV survey, 41-60% respondents reported experiencing DV during their lifetimes. South-Asian women in Greater Boston; Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, 2002
  • 14.6% of Latinas have experienced rape at some point in their lives. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report
  • 1 in 2 multiracial non‐Hispanic women (53.8%) have been the victim of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report
  • According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), of the total homicides of LGBT individuals in 2017, 75% of the victims were people of color: 20 (56%) of the victims were Black, 3 were Latinx, 2 were Asian, and 1 was Native.

How Did The My Blue Lips Campaign Start?

A hotel lobby, five women of color across age and ethnicity on break from a conference. One woman pulled out a tube of lipstick and begins to apply the bold color to her full pout.

Within 3 minutes, each woman began to play dress up while laughing, smiling, and painting each other’s lips. The positive energy exchange between the women and the blue lips were exciting and electric.

Curiosity ran through the hotel lobby, prompting three people to come over to the group and ask, “What is the blue lipstick all about?” To which we replied, “We are women who use our life gifts to end violence against ALL women and girls by focusing on the specific needs of women of color. Let’s talk about how you can help spread the word.” Sumayya Coleman, Leadership Program Director said, “I think we have something here…”

From this organic process, the idea of the My Blue Lips Campaign was born.

How Can I Take The My Blue Lips Challenge?

Take the 3-step Blue Lips Challenge today by:

(1) Participating with Playfulness by wearing BLUE LIPS. If blue lips aren’t someone’s thing, then they are to donate and challenge someone else. Download one of two signs, fill in the blank with your words, and post a selfie with the hashtags #MyBlueLips and #BlueLipsChallenge and #IAmWocnInc.

(2) Donate with Confidence whether you take a Blue Lips selfie or not and support the local and national work of WOCN, Inc.

    • Click the DONATE button on this page and donate any amount, or send a check to: WOCN, Inc., 922, N 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA 17102

(3) Share the Healing by changing your profile picture on all social media platforms to your Blue Lips Selfie and share the Blue Lips Challenge within your networks.

    • Take a selfie with Blue Lips & Post It on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn)
    • Tag WOCN, Inc using hashtags: #MyBlueLips #IAmWOCNINC