As the sun began to set over Croton-on-Hudson on a Thursday evening, students, parents, teachers, staff, administrators, Board of Education members, and community leaders gathered at the Four Corners on Old Post Road South to mark the 10th anniversary of Croton-Harmon High School’s annual Take Back the Night event.

This year’s gathering also welcomed three special guests: Class of 2020 alumnae Eva Donahue, Quinn Simmons, and Livia Weiner, three of the students who first launched the event in 2016 while in ninth grade. Fellow founders Ada Green and Anneka Rust were unable to attend, but were recognized as part of the original student group.

Reflecting on how the tradition began, Livia Weiner said the founders were only freshmen when they recognized a need for change in their community.

“We organized the first march ten years ago,” she said. “At the time, we were 13 and 14 years old, dealing with adult topics before we were ready to fully understand them. We organized the march to meet a need in our community.” 

From the Four Corners, participants made their way down Old Post Road South to The Black Cow Coffee Company. Holding handmade signs close to their chests, they walked in reflection as the setting sun glowed at the end of the road. By the time the group reached the village coffee shop, a longtime community gathering place, daylight was fading. 

Inside, with local artwork lining the walls, CHHS junior leaders Meena Willette and Theresa Hicks thanked Faith Rivers for welcoming the group and providing a safe and supportive place to gather.

As the final glow of sunset softened outside, voices inside the room grew stronger.

“Take Back the Night is an annual event where our community comes together to rally against domestic abuse and sexual violence,” said Theresa. “It is also a place where we give survivors a platform to share their stories.”

The event is organized by CHHS students through the school’s Activism Club and advised by CHHS Health Teacher Kerri Tracy.

In her opening remarks, Meena shared statistics about the prevalence of sexual violence, noting that nearly half of women and more than one in six men experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetimes, while many assaults go unreported. She also spoke about the barriers survivors often face when deciding whether to come forward.

“Many survivors have feelings of shame and embarrassment and the fear of not being believed or helped,” Meena said. “They also face victim-blaming, which prevents survivors from speaking out and seeking help.”

The evening featured student speakers who shared personal reflections on how sexual violence can impact not only survivors, but friendships, families, and relationships when stories are dismissed or unsupported. Representatives from several organizations shared information about resources available to survivors and reinforced a central message of the night: violence survives in silence. Participating organizations included Hope’s Door, Planned Parenthood, The Women’s Resource Center, and My Sisters' Place.

Reflecting on the impact of organizing the first event, Quinn Simmons described the experience as one that shaped the founders far beyond high school.

“That night was one of the most formative experiences of our coming of age,” she said. “Through the process, we learned how to organize with compassion and how to use our voices.”

She added that many adults in the community shared their own stories, modeling bravery and empowerment for the student organizers.

“We carried those lessons with us into college, where we continued to organize and advocate for the issues we care about,” Quinn said. “Today, we work in fields ranging from science to law to art to fashion, but the lessons we learned through Take Back the Night have stayed with us as outspoken women and active members of our new communities.” 

Superintendent Stephen Walker praised both the founding students and the current organizers for their courage and leadership.

“I believe that we’re all here because we know and believe in the fundamental right for all people, everywhere, to feel safe — in their relationships, in their bodies, in their communities, in their homes, and in their schools,” he said. “When I look at these faces tonight, especially our students, I feel optimistic that we’ll get this right.”

Eva Donahue also reflected on the meaning of returning ten years later and seeing the event continue.

“Being in this room proves that people are still showing up, still taking a stand,” she said. “When we are strong as a community, we are stronger as individuals. Visibility and open conversation are essential, especially in a small town.”

She then turned her remarks toward the current student organizers.

“To the high school students who organized tonight’s event: thank you for carrying this forward over the past ten years,” Eva said. “Being a teenager is a unique intersection of life. You carry the optimism of youth, but you’re old enough to recognize injustices and call them out. You do not have to accept things as the way they’ve always been.” 

The final speech of the evening was written by CHHS sophomore Iree Jiang. Its message was a combination of personal reflection with a reminder of the power individuals have to create change.

“Once we truly believe in the power we have against issues like these, we will know we are not lost,” she said. “We will see it in the real efforts and displays of kindness and justice in our everyday lives. It is because we are here today that the world is still beautiful. It is proof that with every injustice that happens, there is never nothing we can do about it.”

Ten years after a small group of freshmen first imagined it, Take Back the Night continues to remind the community that even in darkness, when voices are lifted together, change becomes possible.