- Arielle Stevenson
- Costumes for the "Bring your vagina to the RNC" initiative
Saturday, outside of Sacred Grounds Coffee House in Tampa, Code Pink co-director Rae Abileah worked with a small group of men and women on chants for their upcoming march.
"Hey, hey, Mitt Romney! Anti-choice doesn't represent me!" the group shouted in unison. But this was just a test. Code Pink was training activists in everything from protest chants to protest wardrobe.
"We are teaching chants and educating people on issues," actions coordinator Medea Benjamin said. "Florida isn't as progressive when it comes to women's reproductive rights, for example."
Throughout the rehearsal, the activists held up pink banners that read "Bring our war $$$ home." Some of the people sported human-sized vagina suits for the initiative "Bring your vagina to the RNC." A suitcase overflowing with fabric signs, pink duct tape, and stickers was on the floor, while laminated cutouts of Romney, Ryan and other Republicans sat on the table.
This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2012.