Denim Day 2024: 25 Years of Impact!
Thank you
Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make this Denim Day an incredible experience spreading awareness around sexual violence issues! This year we celebrated 25 years of the campaign, the longest running sexual violence prevention education campaign in history. Our theme was Sexual Violence Ends With All of Us, recognizing the importance of working together and the intersectionality of interpersonal violence and other violences in our communities. With your participation and support, we were able to reach millions of individuals all over the world, increasing the reach and impact. We continue to be so inspired by all of the testimonies, stories, photos and reports of Denim Days all over the world. Denim Day is a global movement that continues to grow. Sexual violence will end with all of us.
Support POV’s sexual violence services and prevention programming throughout the year with your donation now.
25 YEARS
Over the last 25 years, Denim Day has reached over one hundred million individuals. People in all 50 states and in over 100 countries have worn jeans on purpose. This campaign along with other movement organizing has empowered victim/survivors, created allies, influenced legislation, educated the jury pool, motivated high school and college students, and gave voice to those who had been silenced. Our goal has been to encourage people to wear jeans with purpose, support survivors, educate yourself and others, and challenge rape culture and mysogynistic victim blaming.
Changes have been made over the last 25 years. All of us together have influenced the rise of legal reform and legislative action to increase services and protection for survivors. We have exposed rape kit backlogs and cleared or reduced backlogs all over the country. Increased technology has helped survivors share their stories, seek services, and report crimes if they choose. Denim Day has created space for more conversations about sexual violence. We have seen the rise of #metoo, the upheaval in the entertainment and industry and sports including the Olympics, etc. The court victories of E. Jean Carroll would not have been possible without these movements and efforts including Denim Day for survivors' truths to be told and to be believed. We experience more and more youth having conversations about building healthy relationships, setting boundaries, and prioritizing consent. Increased awareness has exposed the depth and breadth of sexual violence in our country and around the world. Rape is acknowledged as a weapon of war. Rape and intimate partner violence can impact everyone in every community. With better data, we now know communities of color, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, migrants, incarcerated persons are disproportionately impacted and vulnerable. Unfortunately, our work is not done.
Without your participation in Denim Day, we would not have had the impact on society that we have brought about together. The campaign has grown with you and you have grown the campaign - together we have questioned, confronted and changed culture. We have shifted the way people think about sexual violence, the most hidden trauma and crime. We have challenged behaviors that contribute to rape culture. We have educated and advocated and spread awareness about all forms of violence - and have worked toward the prevention of violence in the first place.
We must continue to work together. Sexual violence will end through the efforts of all of us.
The day after our successful Denim Day, the Harvey Weinstein rape conviction was overturned by the NY Appeals Court due to a mistake. This is a reminder that our work is not done. Let’s keep going and turn our outrage into action We have a lot of work ahead of us to change hearts and minds and educate on how to be violence free in our homes, and communities.
2024 Highlights
Press Conference & Rally at LA City Hall
On Denim Day, April 24th, POV hosted a rally and press conference on the lawn of LA City Hall. The event was a huge success and attended by hundreds of local supporters, leaders, survivors, and community members who gathered in solidarity in the city where Denim Day was born 25 years ago.
Music by Mariachis Lindas Mexicanas both started and ended the inspirational program, which was emceed by POV Executive Director/CEO and Founder of Denim Day, Patti Giggans, and featured an interactive empowerment self defense demonstration.
Participants included:
Patti Giggans, Denim Day Founder and CEO/Executive Director, POV
Lindsey Horvath, LA County Board of Supervisors, District 3
Hilda Solis, LA County Board of Supervisors, District 1
Ayesha Iqbal Perry, Speaker and Women’s Advocate
George Gascon, District Attorney, Los Angeles County
Antonio Villaraigosa, 41st Mayor of Los Angeles
Rita Garcia, Survivor Speaker, TransLatin@ Coalition
Eunisses Hernandez, LA City Councilmember District 1
Heather Hutt, LA City Councilmember District 10
Traci Park, LA City Councilmember District 11
Hydee Feldstein Soto, LA City Attorney
Empowerment Self Defense Demo - Yvette Lozano, Chief Program and Operations Officer, POV
During the program, Supervisor Hilda Solis presented POV with a $50,000 check to support our Youth Over Violence programming. The event also featured denim healing arts activities by our partner HaGomel, coffee by WAFI, pastries by Peace of Cake, giveaways from Thrive Causemetics, a Denim Day photobooth, merch and more! Thank you to all who attended making this in person event a huge success.
ICYMI you can see the full video from the rally here.
Also during the week of Denim Day, POV ED and Founder of Denim Day provided testimony to the LA City Council in their chambers, where they declared April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, 4/24/24 as Denim Day 2024 and presented Patti with a beautiful resolution. See the full presentation here. And Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also supported Denim Day by recording and sharing a video.
Gear Up for Denim Day 2024 Event
On Thursday, March 28th we held a GEAR UP Launch party for Denim Day 2024. This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the campaign and we were happy to gather together to launch Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), celebrate 25 YEARS of Denim Day impact, and recognize 25 Champions for Change!
Almost 100 people donning their denim gathered at the POV Metro Headquarters which was fully decorated for the Denim Day fete. We had a photobooth, a Denim Day archive with 25 years of materials for guests to peruse, giveaways, a giant pledge for people to sign, Denim Day branded dinner and dessert, a Denim Day merch shop, special guests and and an inspiring program…
Denim Day Around the US & the World
We are always so inspired to see Denim Days happening locally and all over the world. There were Denim Days in China, Jordan, South Africa, Nigeria, Italy, India, Croatia - and more! From college campus activations, to military bases, to corporate events, and individuals sharing online, the power of the movement connects us all. Denim Day California was celebrated in Sacramento with our partners ValorUS. And, we continued our bi-coastal partnership with Denim Day New York City which hosted Denim Day across all five boroughs, with a culmination event walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. POV staff and volunteers participated in tabling events all over Los Angeles spreading awareness. So many survivors shared their stories with us and with others, joining in solidarity and empowerment. Thank you to everyone who sent us pictures, shared testimonials, tagged us on social…this campaign thrives with and because of you!
The Denim Day Pledge
This year, thousands of individuals from across the globe took the pledge representing hundreds of thousands of participants. Thank you to those who participated and took the pledge, and shared responses to the question: why will you wear denim?
It’s not too late to take the pledge! Denim Day messages are year round strong. Take the pledge now and save the date for Denim Day 2025 - Wednesday, April 23rd!
Denim Day in the News!
Our Denim Day event received news coverage from a variety of outlets. Here are some highlights:
CBS NEWS
Denim Day founder joins LA rally to celebrate 25 years of victim empowerment
Denim Day on Social Media
This year, we saw incredible reach on social media! The campaign really took off with the support of influencers and followers sharing Denim Day messages across the world. We were so inspired to see content created that shared the history of the campaign and messages surrounding sexual violence education and consent.
Check out some of our favorite Instagram posts and reels:
And some share-worthy TikToks:
@aquarterblue’s post reached 431k!
And check out @shopaif whose post reached over 50k!
Fundraising
We are so grateful to all of the donors for Denim Day 2024! Our Dollars for Denim campaign included a successful text to donate component in addition to our other fundraising opportunities this year. Financial contributions help ensure that we can continue to provide access to services for sexual assault survivors, including our 24-hour hotline, free counseling and healing services, legal and support groups, and youth violence prevention and engagement. Donations also help underwrite the costs of producing and distributing educational materials.
It’s not too late to give! Support healing services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Denim Day Swag
Denim Day materials have always played a large role in our campaign, from a virtual action kit with downloadable materials to a variety of buttons, T-shirts, hats, etc. We love seeing supporters gear up for Denim Day! This year, we added some new products and bundles and they were a huge hit, with many of our items selling out! But don’t worry - lots of Denim Day and POV items are still available in our store. As we know, the messages of the campaign and all of our materials are relevant and fashionable all year round! Check out what is currently available here!
Denim Day would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners. Thank you to everyone who helped make our 25th anniversary a huge success!
