Our Own Travelling Vagina Warrior

Whitney Smith, director of last year's Vagina Monologues and active supporter of V-Day Waco, has left us.

When I say "left us" I really mean it: she's on her way to Tanzania.

Everyone who knows Whitney Smith knows her as an ardent activist and a staunch supporter of causes she believes in. Whitney doesn't just talk the talk; she walks the walk too, even if it means travelling all the way to Africa to serve in the Peace Corps. She'll serve a 27-month tour in Tanzania, working as a Health Volunteer in a small village.

Part of her duties will include educating the local population about HIV/AIDS prevention. Tanzania has one of the highest per capita rates of HIV infection in Africa-- close to 9% according to a 2005 UNAIDS study-- and over half of those infected are young women.

Whitney has volunteered more than two years of her life to help stop the spread of this and other deadly diseases in this country in southeastern Africa, as far from what we think of as "civilization" as you can imagine.

No phone, no lights, no motorcars...

...well, perhaps it won't be quite that bad... at least she'll have internet access. Whitney plans to blog about her experiences in Africa (here, at Don't Just Wish For Peace, Work For It) and we've invited her to keep us all updated here on this blog as well.

Why is she doing this? She's just graduated from Baylor with an MFA in Theatre. She has friends and family all around, and is actively involved in local organizations such as V-Day Waco. In this excerpt from her blog, Whitney explains:

It isn't enough to wish for something...you have to work at it. This means
taking a leap into the dark, taking a journey into the unkown...even if it takes
you to a foreign country. Of course this lesson must manifest itself differently
for each person. The Peace Corps is just my way to take an active part in my
world, my beliefs and my goals. So, each day as I passed this sign [of the Dalai Llama on Valley Mills] on my way to rehearsal, I kept being reminded of the importance of being an active player in your own life. I still see the sign everyday and I remember why I am doing this. I feel each person in this world deserves happiness, comfort and encouragement. We should all work for it in our own way. [See the full post here.]

A term was coined when the national V-Day movement first began; the term is "Vagina Warrior" and it refers to people who actively work for the empowerment of women everywhere.

Whitney Smith is one of Waco's own real-life Vagina Warriors. She's been an inspiration to all of us, and we're proud to call her our friend. We'll miss her, but will keep close tabs on her mission of peace and goodwill.

You go Whitney!

(Whitney is pictured on the left above, next to Kelsey Ervi, in a photo taken at the 2008 Vagina Monologues production)