A Collection of Reflections: The Seventh Annual Last Girl Awards
Written by Kristin Byrne, Saanvi Upadhyay, & Team Apne Aap
Click here to view The Last Girl Awards.
Led by Team Apne Aap, a determined group of young activists, this blog series is a reflection on The Seventh Annual Last Girl Awards. Join along as we chronicle our unique thoughts, feelings, and interactions that transpired from the event.
Blog #3
Anne K. Ream: Unveiling the Voices and Faces of Survivors of Gender-based Violence
By Saanvi Upadhyay
Anne K. Ream with presenter, Rachel Foster.
Hello everyone- welcome back to another blog post from me, Apne Aap intern and Fordham University student, Saanvi!
Today’s blog is dedicated to our 2023 The Last Girl Cultural Change Award honoree, founder of The Voices and Faces Project, Anne K. Ream! This award celebrates and honors disruptive leaders and visionaries, creating a more just and fair world. Anne’s activism does just this.
The Voices and Faces Project works with survivors through first of its kind storytelling, bringing the names, faces, and testimonies of survivors of gender-based violence to the attention of the public. Additionally, Anne Ream’s commitment to activism is reflected in her work as co-founder of World Without Exploitation, a community of individuals and organizations with the shared goal of ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Anne’s exemplary leadership leaves the Apne Aap Team with no question that she was the perfect nominee for the The Last Girl Cultural Change Award.
Upon accepting her award, Anne first acknowledged her fellow honorees for their work that is not only humbling, but brings hope. “At Voices and Faces,” she says, “we often speak of how change is not a solo, but a chorus- and you are part of a beautiful chorus.” To me, Anne’s humility brought me much hope. The upliftment of others proves mature leadership and reflects the very spirit of The Last Girl Awards and what the world needs.
The Voices and Faces Project holds writing workshops to empower survivors to balance truth and hope, acknowledging that “people are not doing this because it is healing, but because it is necessary. Because there is a world that does not understand these issues that these writers coming to our program have lived through.” Despite its core mission being to create cultural and policy change, Anne has been able to help many survivors of sexual exploitation, including herself, heal.
Anne K. Ream is a pioneer of change. She is dedicated to the fight for equality and against sexual exploitation. She is determined to convey how stories can be world changing. She disrupts silence, helping “the unseen to be seen and the unheard to be heard.” Apne Aap proudly honors Anne K. Ream as this year’s The Last Girl Cultural Change Awardee.
To learn more and support The Voices and Faces Project visit voicesandfaces.org