Local Comics Bring Healing Through Laughter to Benefit Natasha’s Justice Project; Organization Fights to End the National Rape Kit Backlog
On October 26, Chinese Menu Comedy will host a night of entertainment to benefit Natasha’s Justice Project. NJP was founded by Natasha Alexenko, a sexual assault survivor whose assailant was identified nearly 16 years after she was violently attacked when he was found through a DNA match. Today, Natasha and NJP are working to end the national backlog of unprocessed rape kits and bring justice to survivors of sexual assault.
Washington, DC, October 10, 2013 --(PR.com)-- On October 26, Chinese Menu Comedy will host a night of entertainment to benefit Natasha’s Justice Project (NJP). The event will be hosted by local stand-up comic Jessica Brodkin, and will feature comedy by Pete Bergen, followed by the night’s headliner, Danny Rouhier. The event will kick-off with a performance by American University’s acclaimed student dance team, AU in Motion. Following the performances, there will be a screening of an excerpt from HBO’s critically-acclaimed documentary, Sex Crimes Unit, which features Natasha’s story.
Natasha’s Justice Project was founded by Natasha Alexenko, a sexual assault survivor whose assailant was identified nearly 16 years after she was violently attacked when he was found through a DNA match. Today, Natasha and NJP are working to end the national backlog of unprocessed rape kits and bring justice to survivors of sexual assault.
The backlog of untested rape kits exists because procedures for processing the kits are antiquated, and funding is often not available. According to NJP, the average cost to process a rape kit is between $800 and $1,200, and preliminary evidence suggests that approximately 400,000 rape kits in the United States may remain untested. This means potential evidence lingers on shelves and in warehouses throughout the nation, when it could be used to validate a victim’s claims, identify an attacker or exonerate a suspect.
One hundred percent of the ticket proceeds from “Chinese Menu Stands Up for Natasha’s Justice Project” will go to NJP. Individual donations can also be made directly at http://natashasjusticeproject.org/donate/.
When:
Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.
Where:
Kay Spiritual Life Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.
Tickets:
To purchase tickets for this event, please visit: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/481365
About the Comics:
· Danny Rouhier is a talk radio host and stand-up comic in Washington, DC. He’s the voice of the midday show, 106.7 The Fan, where he tackles sports and pop culture with an incredible breadth of knowledge, awkwardness, humor, and a staggering amount of dorkiness. Danny is fast-paced, clever, and self-deprecating with dozens of voices and characters, and has performed at legendary clubs like Caroline's on Broadway, The DC Improv, Funnybone comedy clubs and at festivals in Boston, D.C., Detroit, and Seattle.
· Pete Bergen has performed stand-up at The DC Improv, Riot Act Comedy Theater, Wiseacres, HA! (New York), and more, and has opened for Bobcat Goldthwait, Jim Short, Chris Coccia, Bob Marley, and many other local and national talents.
· Jessica Brodkin is a stand-up comic based out of Washington, D.C. who has performed at comedy festivals around the country including Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Improv Festival, North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, and Boston's Women in Comedy Festival. She has regular appearances in the top clubs in the D.C. area including the DC Improv, Magooby's Joke House, and the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse.
About Natasha's Justice Project
Natasha's Justice Project (NJP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exposing and eliminating the national backlog of unprocessed rape kits. The organization is named for Natasha Alexenko, a sexual assault survivor. In 2008, nearly 16 years after she was violently attacked at gunpoint, her perpetrator was found through a DNA match, thanks to the dedication of New York City's Cold Case Unit. Natasha speaks at colleges and other venues across the country, working tirelessly to educate and inspire others through her compelling personal story. Most recently, she was featured on HBO's critically-acclaimed documentary, Sex Crimes Unit. For more information about NJP, visit www.natashasjusticeproject.org.
About Chinese Menu Comedy
Chinese Menu Comedy (http://www.facebook.com/ChineseMenuComedy) provides an opportunity for improvisors and comedians to come together and play. Performances have featured more than 100 performers from DC (Washington Improv Theater), New York (Upright Citizens Brigade), Chicago (IO), and beyond. Based in DC and founded by Pete Bergen, Chinese Menu Comedy also conducts corporate training workshops and middle and high school theater classes to introduce professionals and students to improv.
Note for Media: Natasha Alexenko, founder of Natasha's Justice Project, is available for phone and in-person interviews to discuss the impact of the national rape kit backlog. Contact Brooke Saltzer Bergen (202-427-6496, b_saltzer@hotmail.com) to schedule.
Natasha’s Justice Project was founded by Natasha Alexenko, a sexual assault survivor whose assailant was identified nearly 16 years after she was violently attacked when he was found through a DNA match. Today, Natasha and NJP are working to end the national backlog of unprocessed rape kits and bring justice to survivors of sexual assault.
The backlog of untested rape kits exists because procedures for processing the kits are antiquated, and funding is often not available. According to NJP, the average cost to process a rape kit is between $800 and $1,200, and preliminary evidence suggests that approximately 400,000 rape kits in the United States may remain untested. This means potential evidence lingers on shelves and in warehouses throughout the nation, when it could be used to validate a victim’s claims, identify an attacker or exonerate a suspect.
One hundred percent of the ticket proceeds from “Chinese Menu Stands Up for Natasha’s Justice Project” will go to NJP. Individual donations can also be made directly at http://natashasjusticeproject.org/donate/.
When:
Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.
Where:
Kay Spiritual Life Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.
Tickets:
To purchase tickets for this event, please visit: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/481365
About the Comics:
· Danny Rouhier is a talk radio host and stand-up comic in Washington, DC. He’s the voice of the midday show, 106.7 The Fan, where he tackles sports and pop culture with an incredible breadth of knowledge, awkwardness, humor, and a staggering amount of dorkiness. Danny is fast-paced, clever, and self-deprecating with dozens of voices and characters, and has performed at legendary clubs like Caroline's on Broadway, The DC Improv, Funnybone comedy clubs and at festivals in Boston, D.C., Detroit, and Seattle.
· Pete Bergen has performed stand-up at The DC Improv, Riot Act Comedy Theater, Wiseacres, HA! (New York), and more, and has opened for Bobcat Goldthwait, Jim Short, Chris Coccia, Bob Marley, and many other local and national talents.
· Jessica Brodkin is a stand-up comic based out of Washington, D.C. who has performed at comedy festivals around the country including Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Improv Festival, North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, and Boston's Women in Comedy Festival. She has regular appearances in the top clubs in the D.C. area including the DC Improv, Magooby's Joke House, and the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse.
About Natasha's Justice Project
Natasha's Justice Project (NJP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exposing and eliminating the national backlog of unprocessed rape kits. The organization is named for Natasha Alexenko, a sexual assault survivor. In 2008, nearly 16 years after she was violently attacked at gunpoint, her perpetrator was found through a DNA match, thanks to the dedication of New York City's Cold Case Unit. Natasha speaks at colleges and other venues across the country, working tirelessly to educate and inspire others through her compelling personal story. Most recently, she was featured on HBO's critically-acclaimed documentary, Sex Crimes Unit. For more information about NJP, visit www.natashasjusticeproject.org.
About Chinese Menu Comedy
Chinese Menu Comedy (http://www.facebook.com/ChineseMenuComedy) provides an opportunity for improvisors and comedians to come together and play. Performances have featured more than 100 performers from DC (Washington Improv Theater), New York (Upright Citizens Brigade), Chicago (IO), and beyond. Based in DC and founded by Pete Bergen, Chinese Menu Comedy also conducts corporate training workshops and middle and high school theater classes to introduce professionals and students to improv.
Note for Media: Natasha Alexenko, founder of Natasha's Justice Project, is available for phone and in-person interviews to discuss the impact of the national rape kit backlog. Contact Brooke Saltzer Bergen (202-427-6496, b_saltzer@hotmail.com) to schedule.
Contact
Natasha's Justice Project / Chinese Menu Comedy
Brooke Saltzer Bergen
202-427-6496
https://www.facebook.com/chinesemenucomedy
Brooke Saltzer Bergen
202-427-6496
https://www.facebook.com/chinesemenucomedy
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