April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  No matter what time of year, it is important to recognize that 81% of women have experienced sexual harassment (MPR) and according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 35.6% of women have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by a partner.  Violence, harassment, stalking, various kinds of abuse, are all ways in which power is exerted over women in relationships, families, work places, and communities as a whole.  This spectrum of control serves to make women less safe, empowered, equal, and fully able to participate in society.  

This is why it is important that NorShor Theater cancels Garrison Keillor's upcoming show in April.  Holding abusers accountable and believing survivors is essential for creating safe communities, workplaces, and homes.  Garrison Keillor was fired from Minnesota Public Radio for sexual harassment and sexual assault (i.e. nonconsensual sexual touching).  He used power and control to make women who worked with him feel unsafe and sexualized, then denied and minimized wrongdoing. 

The Duluth community can hold Garrison Keillor accountable by pressuring NorShor Theater to cancel their upcoming event.  We sign this petition to call upon NorShor Theater to make the right decision and cancel this event.  This is the right course of action for building a community that does not tolerate harassment.  Concerned members of the community will continue to put pressure on the NorShor through protest, boycott, petition, and comments to support and believe victims and survivors and set a standard of accountability.