"I Think We’re in Awe Daily"

Stacey Wright
Norman
(Nominated by Kathy Talkington)

The group YES ALL DAUGHTERS, started by Norman High School student Danielle Brown, was a recipient of the 2014 Oklahoma Human Rights Award.

Photo: Kate Carlton Greer, KGOU 

By now, their story is well-known. In November, 2014, hundreds of Norman High School students and parents lined the streets in Norman protesting the school administration’s response to three rape allegations. Protest organizers demanded school officials implement anti-bullying policies to protect future victims.

Yes All Daughters founder Stacey Wright organized the protest after learning from Danielle (her niece) about multiple teenage girls who say they were raped by the same classmate.

Kathy Talkington, a member of the group, says Stacey's leadership of the group was "most inspiring."

"She led hundreds of participants into a media blitz," Talkington said, "that said the victims would not go quietly down in shame. Instead, they rose to the level of bringing in not only the media, but the legislature as well. There were suddenly other schools standing for victims and more media, and it led to Representative Claudia Griffith writing new legislation to be heard and later passed concerning the way schools handle these situations. There is training at both Norman schools, and it will carry over to other schools across Oklahoma."

On December 10th, the Oklahoma Universal Human Rights 

Alliance will honor human rights heroes from around our

great state. A recognition program  will take place at the

State Capitol. More information can be found here:

"Celebrate Human Rights."

The new law, House Bill 1684, authored by Rep. Claudia Griffith, was approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives in April of this year. It provides for sexual assault prevention and response education in Oklahoma schools.

Stacey Wright commented on the significance of the bill.

“It's huge. It's monumental. I can't believe what we've done in under 6 months. I think it will prepare administrators and hopefully students knowing how to respond to people that have been victims of this kind of violence,” she said.

Stacey's ambition is to take the Yes All Daughters campaign to the nation and the world.

In March of this year, Stacey set her sights on the United Nations' 59th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59). She attended as a delegate of the United Nations Association. The CSW gathers each year to determine and implement goals for gender equality and the empowerment of women worldwide.

“I wouldn’t believe it if I wasn’t living it,” Wright told the Norman Transcript. “It’s been so big, and I think we (Yes All Daughters) all feel that way— just a little bit in awe of the momentum and the fact that we’re seeing action... I think we’re in awe daily.”

Presently, YES ALL Daughters is partnering with a national campaign, SafeBAE, to end sexual violence by educating middle and high school-aged students on sexual violence and safe relationships.

“Girls ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. Educating teens about safe and healthy relationships is essential to reversing these horrifying statistics,” Wright says.

Wright, along with Danielle Brown and Christina Owen of Yes All Daughters, are traveling to Washington, DC, for the launch.

Article 3 of the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person."