Events

(See Media Page for interviews)

Upcoming events

March 8, 2025: Student Organized Consent Conference in Seattle https://www.universityprep.org/student-life/student-organized-consent-conference-in-seattle This conference is modeled after the Georgetown Day School summit (see below). All I can say is you don’t want to miss it!

Just added: We are delighted to announce that Risa will be on the Survivor Panel at SOCCS!


Pending, but hold the date - April 6, 2025!

Risa Shaw and Rick Stack will be in conversation about their books on topics that need our attention: sibling sexual abuse (Shaw) and grief (Stack)

More details to follow!

Past Events

January 26, 2025

Kindness Day, in honor of Tommy Raskin sponsored by Small Things Matter

We had another fabulous day at Kindness Day this year! Thank you to everyone, of all ages, who spun the wheel, asked & answered questions, told us no they didn’t want to do anything, got a sticker, talked with us about how to empower children/students and educate adults. We had wonderful conversations about consent and boundaries, the importance of trusted adults, truth telling and bravery, how to speak up and how to support friends. We are here always ~ Reach out to us any time!

Thank you Alba and Nina Laplante-Christensen for being a part of Not Child’s Play!


December 14, 2024

Takoma Park Book Fair, 1:00-4:00 pm at Busboys & Poets in Takoma

Again, this event does does not disappoint! 30 local authors and lots of spirit. I got to share a table with Rick Stack, whom I know from volunteering at the Wendt Center Grief Camp for children. Our table, with his book on grief and my book on SSA, was called “intense”, “the real stuff”, “powerful.” We started saying it was the table with topics that no one wants to talk about, and those who stayed after hearing that had lots of conversation with us.


November 22 & 23, 2024

Georgetown Day School Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent, Washington D.C.

https://www.gds-consentsummit.com/

How amazing it was to be with nearly 500 people, mostly high school students, who wanted to talk about, prevent, and heal from sexual assault! The students put on their 9th (!) annual Summit with a survivor panel, movie, keynote, 30+ hour long sessions. They took such good care of us with quiet space, DCRape Crisis Center counselors, and feeding us meals. The care and brilliance they put into this event is unlike anything I’ve seen. I wish all high schools had this type of event. Come to the 10th annual Summit in November, 2025!


November 9, 2024

The Power of Public Vulnerability: Our Stories, Our Selves

Closing Presentation for Seasoned Not Old 7th Annual Conference

https://www.seasonednotold.com

Thank you Bonnie, Francine, Shana, Dave, the other presenters, and all the participants! What a wonderful day to think and talk about the power of public vulnerability!

(Photo to come)


October 10, 2024

Thriving Survivors Conference “Focusing on and Responding to Sibling Sexual Abuse and Trauma”

Glasgow, Scotland

https://www.thrivingsurvivors.co.uk/annualconference

Thank you Thriving Survivors and all of the conference participants! To have a conference focused specifically on sibling sexual abuse was brilliant, and so needed!


September 19, 2024

Bravery is Contagious: A Gathering of Survivors of SSA

Sponsored by SARSAS

Led by Risa Shaw

What an amazing remote gathering of SSA survivors! So much courage and connection and caring! Thank you SARSAS! We look forward to more survivor events!

Sponsored by SARSAS and the sibling sexual abuse project in the UK


June 25 & 26, 2024

Envision: The Future of Prevention Conference

Hosted by The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

JHU Bloomberg Center, Washington, D.C.

Not Child’s Play and Risa Shaw had an exhibit booth and attended the conference as a Participant Collaborator

We are grateful for the networking, research, presentations, conversations, and opportunities to work to prevent and heal from childhood sexual abuse. We look forward to more collaborations!


April 20, 2024

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center, 208 W 13th St, New York, NY 10011

Rainbow Book Fair - NYC

Thanks Rainbow Book Fair and attendees! We had many great conversations and are so happy that you took Not Child’s Play and stickers out in the world with you.

Website


January 27, 2024

Takoma Park, MD

Kindness Day

We had a table that focused on consent, boundaries, bravery, trust, and connection, with a spinner game that pointed people to questions. Risa interacted with people of all ages, preschoolers to adults and everyone in between. Many youth sent their friends over to spin the wheel and talk about the questions, some returned themselves for longer conversations. Several adults who work at schools inquired about Not Child’s Play coming to their school for discussion and activities. Several people walked away with a copy of Not Child’s Play. Anyone could pick a sticker and/or take a handout. Risa gave out 91 stickers and 35 handouts, and we had amazing conversations and interactions.

Website


December 16, 2023

Takoma Park, MD

Takoma Park Book Fair

Risa Shaw, with Not Child’s Play, was one of 33 local authors at this packed annual event for Takoma Park authors who have published in the last two years.

Website