Clothesline Project

In the words of our very own Marianna Milkowski '13:


"BALTIMORE– Notre Dame of Maryland University is raising awareness about violence against women and girls with the Clothesline Project, a visual display of shirts with written messages and illustrations that graphically demonstrate the impact of abuse. The clothesline will be displayed tomorrow (24th) on the Doyle lawn from 10 am to 4 pm, and on April 25th from 10 am to 2 pm. The Clothesline Project shirts are designed by women survivors of violence, their families or friends. This year’s Clothesline includes shirts made by incarcerated women at the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women (MCIW).
The purpose of the project is to educate the public, to mourn those who have died as a result of violence and to bear witness to a woman’s courage to survive and heal. “Simply viewing the shirts is often enough to encourage a survivor to make a shirt and thereby break the silence that has held her prisoner for so long,” says Susan Barber, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the women’s studies program at Notre Dame. “It is an important step to ending the vicious cycle of abuse. By hanging their shirt out in the open, women can leave behind some of the pain from their past and continue their healing.” All are welcome to attend and participate in making a shirt to add to the Clothesline. ♥ "

This project is done annually at Notre Dame through the Intro to Women's Studies course, which many student choose to take.  It is one of the great eye-opening traditions we have here.