Originally posted February 26 on Facebook.

WHY I MARCH: when I was 15 years old, I began to experience physical, emotional, sexual and verbal violence by my boyfriend. It lasted until I was almost 18. He hurt me profoundly. I didn’t even have the language to name the abuse until I met other feminists in college. That’s when I started to understand, to heal, to get angry, to DESIRE JUSTICE. I also realized that I didn’t ever want another woman to have to face the violence I did….and that the state is complicit in our abuse. So I will march on March 8th alongside other survivors, and to hold all culprits – individual and state entities – accountable for all forms of violence against women. Join us. You don’t suffer alone. It is our time, my sisters. ‪#‎WhyWeMarch8‬ ‪#‎IWD‬ ‪#‎IWDLA2015‬

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Jollene Levid is the National Chair of AF3IRM.