#AlarmYourself

Gretchen Swanson, president of the Rose Park Neighborhood Association (RPNA), set up a booth to support neighborhood safety and women’s empowerment alongside 10th Street and across from Frances Willard Elementary School on Friday, March 30. Swanson said that it was important to note the location of her table being just on the other side of the street from a school dedicated to 19th-century women’s suffragist and president of Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Frances Willard. Three years ago, RPNA teamed up with Moms for a Beautiful 10th Street to improve the quality of life for the neighborhood families, and each year, the two groups continue advocating for a safer community. In an interview with the Signal Tribune, 2nd District Councilmember Jeannine Pearce explained how meaningful the event was for her and her daughter. “The most inspiring thing is that they put together these little beautiful crafts and ribbons that we are going to be putting on trees where we can write down women’s names that have inspired us,” Pearce said. “So, when you look at the names over there, they are everything from moms to housekeepers to Dolores Huerta. My five-and-a-half-year-old put her two best friends on there that inspire her, so it is a great moment to just reflect on what it takes to build a community and community strength.” In addition to recognizing impactful women, Swanson also looked to increase safety measures throughout the neighborhood by handing out personal-safety alarms to local foot traffic along 10th Street. “This year, we are working on this sense of safety,” Swanson said. “The idea that we are not vulnerable and that we need a space to be who we need to be— to maintain the lives that we have. So, it is called #alarmyourself, and the idea is that when people walk away, they are part of a community and a community that respects them.”