Malikah Thompson says she "really got a sense of sisterhood, and that we can all stick together" by listening to activist and writer Feminista Jones speak out against street harassment.

Thompson, a first-year Knox College student, attended Jones' lecture on campus Friday, January 23. The event was organized by two student organizations, Allied Blacks for Liberty and Equality (ABLE) and Students Against Sexism in Society (SASS).

While street harassment can take various forms, it most often refers to instances when a man makes an unwanted approach toward a woman, saying or doing something inappropriate.

Jones launched the #YouOkSis social media campaign, which focuses on black women's experiences, after she witnessed an incident of street harassment involving a man who was trying to sell music CDs to a woman as she walked. The man kept pestering the woman, even though she clearly didn't want to deal with him, Jones recalled.

"You OK, sis?"

Jones was concerned, so she intervened by walking up to the woman and asking her, "You OK, sis?" That phrase became the hashtag for the social media campaign.

Street harassment is "nothing new," though people haven't always used those words to describe it, Jones said.

One of the main goals of #YouOkSis is to focus on victims, giving them a greater voice and providing them with a chance to ask for help or whatever else they might need, she said.

Another goal is to encourage people to be more willing to help each other. For example, Jones said, if you see that someone is enduring street harassment, an appropriate response is to approach the victim and ask a non-threatening question, such as: What time is it?

That sort of bystander intervention can help put a stop to street harassment, she said.

"Moving in a better direction"

Students said they appreciated Jones' insights and advice.

"Even though her campaign is targeted for African-Americans, we can also connect outside of our race and form a sisterhood," Thompson said after the lecture.

"I was very familiar with what she's talking about, but I've never thought about it as a global issue. I've always thought it was my own issue, something I was doing wrong," Thompson added. "Coming here and hearing other students (and) hearing her speak let me know that I'm not alone. It is very helpful."

ABLE President Catlin Watts said that while she and many of her friends already had a good understanding of street harassment, other students learned a lot by hearing from Jones.

"I think she brought awareness to the other students and to the campus as a whole, and I think that's really beneficial for everybody," Watts said.

"A lot of people asked questions like ‘What can I do to help?' or ‘What should I do in that situation?'" Watts added. "She answered those questions: You give people time. You make yourself a resource. You make yourself available when they're ready. And you call people out when they harass people."

"I think we're moving in a better direction because of the answers that she gave to a lot of the questions that were asked."