When we created the Music For Pixels campaign, we started by asking ourselves:
What if YouTube artistes and YouTube music fans got together to make the world a better place for women and girls worldwide?”
We genuinely had no idea what sort of response we would get from survivors, supporters, fellow anti-Violence Against Women nonprofits and activists, and the general public.
All we knew is that music would be a very powerful way to amplify the message we wanted to send out and we hoped that it would also prove to be an equally powerful way for the message to reach into the hearts and minds of the vast global online community out there.
And so together with our first ever Music For Pixels artiste, YouTube’s #1 R&B group, AHMIR, we released the music video PSA of their cover of ‘The Rose’ with fingers crossed and breath held…
More importantly, we were proven right as the comments section under the video exploded and survivors, supporters and AHMIR fans alike posted their thoughts about the video.
Here is a selection of the most striking comments from survivors inspired to speak up and share their stories*:
* Please note that we have reproduced these quotes in their authentic entirety to preserve the voice of the commentator.
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“As a survivor of domestic violence, thanks for the support Ahmir. Beautiful song, brought tears to my eyes.” – Swoon17
“This song touched me. I am the 1 of 5 victims. At age 10, I was raped 5 times by the same guy.. I didn’t know what was gong on because I cracked my head open. At age 18, every memory came to me like a speeding bullet… threatened to kill me if I said anything… 15 years later I’m able and blessed to share and to save a life.. please don’t hesitate to say something… I’m very glad that you guys sung a beautiful song that reaches out to people, and someone like me and anyone else who’s been through it, can reach out and speak without being afraid of anything and can save a life. Thank you guys so much! Much love and respect. God Bless you guys with such a beautiful talent.” – lilsnowbunny23
“This really touches me. when I was 11 a guy was pressuring me to do things with him I didn’t want to do. I kept saying no and he beat me every time, even coming up behind me while I was leaving and choking me with a shoe lace. I have a scar on the side of my neck because of the burn from shaking my head back and forth, trying to get him off of me. No one can touch my face because of him and it hurts because the guy I’m with now is trying to help me recover when it’s just way too hard for me.” – ForeverLove6354
“I love anything Ahmir does and to do a song for this cause makes me love them even more. Like most of you, I too was a victim of rape at a young age and I didn’t recover until I was older. After recovery, I helped other young girls who were also victims, they just needed someone to trust, talk to, and to be there for them. After I was brutally raped I didn’t have anyone so I tried to take my life multiple times, luckily I didn’t succeed. The word needs to be put out so thanks guys for helping!” – hbarden18
“Thank you for raising funds and awareness for this cause. I am a domestic violence survivor. Without the programs available at the time of my need, my family and I wouldn’t be here. More money and awareness is needed. The effects of this life experience not only affect the wife, it affects the children with lifelong psychological effects for all, including the husband. Thank you AHMIR for using your voices to help raise awareness for the voiceless women and children of domestic violence.” – AJsFight4Life
“I love this!!! My mother was a victim at one point in her life. Thanks so much!!! Keep singing!! Love you guys.” – saxtaylor96
“This is amazing. <3 Been abused by my parents and ex boyfriends. Physical and emotional. Been through depression. But I’m moving on now – therapy & an amazing boyfriend. And I guess.. Even though YouTube is full of strangers, this kinda music makes me able to share.”– Bab3girlX
“BEAUTIFUL!! It’s awsome you guys are trying to make a different!! Wish I had the courage to do something.. my brother abused me for four years and my parents never believed me.. now I just live in silent pain and being afraid to get a boyfriend.. It’s such a blessing to know you guys are doing everything you can to stop that.”– kiplasy
Thousands of viewers of the music video PSA of The Rose will have seen the portraits of 6 survivors of violence against women who courageously and generously allowed us to include their picture in the video, knowing that a global audience will see their faces and note their signs that they are survivors and wonder about the stories behind their hard-won smiles. Our sixth and final story features Elizabeth Warfield Smith, a survivor of rape and stalking who currently volunteers on The Pixel Project’s Twitter Tag Team.
I have been a victim of both rape and stalking as a teenager. I was also a victim of a family that chose not to believe me. I chose to have my photo in Ahmir’s music video PSA of “The Rose” to let every woman out there know that there is a way to smile, thrive, and love again.
Music is a language that everyone understands, though it may impact us differently as individuals. I also would like people to know that after the healing you can take one more step to reach out and help other women that need your hand or shoulder or hug, either virtually or in person. I am truly blessed to be able to show every one that watches the video that love is possible and I hope you can see that love in my eyes and smile. The Pixel Project is here for you and the young men of AHMIR prove that there are many others that are willing to help you in any way possible. Make love your first proiority and everything will fall into place.
Thousands of viewers of the music video PSA of The Rose will have seen the portraits of 6 survivors of violence against women who courageously and generously allowed us to include their picture in the video, knowing that a global audience will see their faces and note their signs that they are survivors and wonder about the stories behind their hard-won smiles. Our fifth story features Kathleen Milliken, a survivor and co-founder of Spa Fundraiser which helps causes and nonprofits focused on women and children to raise funds.
Music is a medium that crosses cultures, and has a large audience that spans the world. In allowing The Pixel Project to show my picture I hope to show that domestic violence can affect many no matter our age, race, religion or economic status.
My image is also to show support for those women fighting for their freedom where-ever in the world they may be, so as they may be able thrive and live a life without fear. That each and every women is worthy of peace. I survived and have made changes to live a life free of violence, and hope that others can find their way, as I have, to smile again and shine a light for those caught in the dark.
Thousands of viewers of the music video PSA of The Rose will have seen the portraits of 6 survivors of violence against women who courageously and generously allowed us to include their picture in the video, knowing that a global audience will see their faces and note their signs that they are survivors and wonder about the stories behind their hard-won smiles. Our fourth story features Catherine Tanner Pierce, a survivor and co-founder of Spa Fundraiser which helps causes and nonprofits focused on women and children to raise funds.
It is important to me to help bring awareness to domestic violence. As a child living through domestic violence was very scary. No one talked about it. Sometimes we have a picture in our head of what someone who is a victim of domestic violence looks like and it can be very different that what you imagine.
I wanted to share my picture for the Music For Pixels campaign to help people see what a face of a domestic violence victim looks like. It could be a neighbour, friend or co-worker. You just never know that’s why we all have to be advocates to end domestic violence.
Thousands of viewers of the music video PSA of The Rose will have seen the portraits of 6 survivors of violence against women who courageously and generously allowed us to include their picture in the video, knowing that a global audience will see their faces and note their signs that they are survivors and wonder about the stories behind their hard-won smiles. Our third story features Kathleen Milliken, a survivor and founder of Project Empowerment and Climb For Empowerment:
Let not the pain of the past define who you are, but what you’ve made yourself because of it. Like many, I had a choice and fled abuse many years ago. I chose to rebuild my life and start again from scratch. I’m a firm believer that all healing and empowerment begins from within.
Music is a powerful tool to help heal the wounds from the past, to help bring peace into our hearts. My hope is that something as simple as sharing my picture with The Pixel Project’s Music for Pixels campaign will inspire others to choose their own path and find their way to heal from abuse.
Thousands of viewers of the music video PSA of The Rose will have seen the portraits of 6 survivors of violence against women who courageously and generously allowed us to include their picture in the video, knowing that a global audience will see their faces and note their signs that they are survivors and wonder about the stories behind their hard-won smiles. Our second story featuring Eliska Hahn, a survivor and The Pixel Project’s volunteer Music Campaigns Coordinator:
I am a multiple survivor of both rape and domestic violence. For the first 30+ years of my life I firmly believed I had “bad luck” or there was something uniquely wrong with me and that was why these terrible things kept happening over and over in my life.
It was through organisations like The Pixel Project that I learned that I was in no way alone and, more importantly, that it wasn’t my fault. I am so very proud honoured to now be a Pixel Project Team Member and to be pictured in AHMIR’s amazing video for “The Rose”. I hope every person that views it will see that there is life after abuse and it is not a life of just surviving but thriving. I feel the Music For Pixels campaign will reach and educate a whole new group of people and that, together, we can put an end to violence against women in our lifetime.
Thousands of viewers of the music video PSA of The Rose will have seen the portraits of 6 survivors of violence against women who courageously and generously allowed us to include their picture in the video, knowing that a global audience will see their faces and note their signs that they are survivors and wonder about the stories behind their hard-won smiles. Wonder no more, for here is the first of their stories featuring Barbara Satterfield Kinsey, a survivor and long-time Pixel Project volunteer:
Violence and abuse were the story of my life. From the time I was old enough to remember, boys and grown men were abusive in one way or another – verbally, physically, emotionally, sexually – to me and to my mother. I knew it was wrong and prayed daily as a little girl that God would send Wonder Woman to come rescue us. With the revelation of sexual abuse to me came stalking, threats and the requirement to start a new life in a new city.
This did not bring an end to abuse however. It started anew with emotional and verbal abuse to me and my mother by a new man in our lives. Naturally, I dropped out of high school and moved in with…another abuser. Only by the grace of God was I rescued from a man who would have surely put me six feet under sooner rather than later.
My life has moved on, to the realm of marriage to a great man, with children and a career. I always wanted to give back but could not figure out how. An email from the NCADV offered the opportunity to serve with a new anti-Violence Against Women non-profit, called The Pixel Project. It is my honour to volunteer to help others stop violence against women of all kinds. Recently, I was asked to allow my picture to be part of the Music For Pixels campaign. I want to be a face identified as a survivor, a warrior, a conqueror – to give hope to those who have none.”
When we created the Music For Pixels campaign, we started by asking ourselves:
