Students, staff, and community members gathered at Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant Campus on Thursday, April 9, for this year’s Take Back the Night event. Held at 7 p.m. in the Sagtikos Arts & Sciences Building, the evening included indoor programming and an outdoor march around campus. This year’s keynote speaker was Amanda Noll, founder of The Quiet Strength, who was identified by the college as an anti-human-trafficking advocate and survivor of human trafficking.
At SCCC, Take Back the Night is part of a broader effort to raise awareness of sexual, relationship, and domestic violence while offering survivors support, hope, and resources. On the college’s webpage, SCCC describes the event as one that encourages healing and invites the campus community to take part as allies.
The evening carried a serious and reflective tone, but it also felt rooted in community. Events like this are not only about sharing information. They are also about making space for people to come together, listen, and show visible support for survivors.
That sense of solidarity became even more powerful during the march around campus. Moving outdoors gave the event a public presence and turned its message into something visible. It was a reminder that awareness is not meant to stay quiet or hidden. It has to be seen, shared, and supported by the community around it.
Take Back the Night has a long history beyond SCCC. The college notes that the movement began in the 1970s and is often marked by marches, rallies, and vigils protesting rape and other forms of sexual, relationship, and domestic violence. SCCC also connects the event to campus projects such as Lantern Bags, the Clothesline Project, Painted Rocks, and Paper Butterflies, all of which encourage messages of empowerment and support for survivors.
Take Back the Night is not only about raising awareness in the abstract. It is also about reminding survivors that they are not alone and reminding the wider community that support has to be active, visible, and ongoing.
By the end of the evening, the event felt like more than a program. It felt like a shared act of support. SCCC’s continued hosting of Take Back the Night reflects a wider commitment to awareness, solidarity, and care within the campus community.
