University News

WIU Celebrating March as Women's History Month

February 27, 2019

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MACOMB, IL – The Western Illinois University Women's Center will host a celebration of Women's History Month during March.

This year's theme is "Women Unite! We Are Stronger Together," which is woven throughout the month's schedule of events.

This year's schedule includes:

• Poetry Reading
Sunday, March 3 – 2 p.m.: "Celebrate Women's History Month with the Power of Poetry" at the Western Illinois Museum. Doors open and pie served at 1:30 p.m.

• Keynote address by author Linda Hogan
Monday, March 4, p.m. in the WIU Multicultural Center: The WIU Women's Center, the Department of English and the Feminist Action Alliance will welcome Hogan, a poet and novelist, to kick-off Women's History Month 2019. Hogan will read from a selection of her works, many of which connect to themes related to gender, Indigeneity and the environment.

Hogan is a former faculty member at the Indian Arts Institute, a writer-in-residence for The Chickasaw Nation and professor emerita from the University of Colorado. She is an internationally-recognized public reader, speaker and writer of poetry, fiction and essays. She published "Dark. Sweet.," new and selected poems in July 2014 and she was inducted into the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame in 2007.

• Salon Talks: The Importance of Women's Unity
Tuesday March 5, 6 p.m. in the GBCC Lounge: Join the National Association of Colored Women's Club and the Women's Center in conversation about why it's important for women to be each other's biggest supporters. Share personal experiences with women's unity, as well as challenges you've faced.

• Who Run the World?: A Women's Gallery
Thursday, March 7, 6 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: Celebrate inspirational women in history chosen and showcased by students. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is co-sponsored by the Center for International Studies and Lambda Theta Alpha.

• "Ain't I a (Black) Woman"
Monday, March 18, 6 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: Join the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center in a presentation and discussion on what it means to be Black and a woman in today's society and Black women's involvement in the feminist movement.

• "The Revival: Women and the Word"
Tuesday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: Join the Women's Center and the LGBT*QA Resource Center as we screen the film, "The Revival: Women and the Word." The film is about "a group of Black lesbian poets and musicians who become present-day stewards of a historical movement to build community among queer women of color."

• Feminine Hygiene Product Drive
Wednesday, March 20 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
The women of Gamma Phi Omega and Sigma Lambda Gamma will be collecting feminine hygiene products in the University Union Concourse to be donated to local , such as WIRC Victim Services.

• Comadreando
Wednesday, March 20 at noon in the Casa Latina Lounge: A discussion group facilitated by the Casa Latina Cultural Center and the Women's Center. This week's topic is "Own Your Belleza," or beauty. Gather with women to talk about beauty, however you define it.

• "I bleed, and it's normal!"
Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m. in the Multicultural Center Lounge: The women of Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority Inc. will be presenting a panel of women to talk about societal and cultural views regarding menstrual cycles. 

• FAA Open Mic Night
Friday, March 22, 6-8 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: "Open Mic Night" with pieces focused on women and gender issues.

• Women on Weights
Sunday, March 24, Doors open at 9 a.m. in the Rec Center: An opportunity for women to learn about the weight room equipment, as well as participate in weight training. The event is presented by Campus Rec and the Women's Center.

• Reproductive health resources in the past 10 years: Are we better off?
Monday, March 25, 6 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: Professor Lora Wallace, of the WIU Department of Sociology and Anthropology will present, "Reproductive health resources in the past 10 years: Are we better off?" The event is co-sponsored by the Western Organization for Women, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Feminist Action Alliance.

• Chingona All-Stars
Tuesday, March 26, 5:30 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: The Casa Latina Cultural Center is sponsoring this event honoring muxeres chingonas.

• "Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence"
Wednesday, March 27, 4:30 p.m. in the Malpass Library Garden Lounge: The WIU Department of History will present its sixth annual Women's History Month Panel and Discussion.

• Trans* Day of Visibility: An Educational Conversation
Thursday, March 28, 6:30 p.m. in the University Union Sandburg Lounge: Join Unity for its general assembly meeting and participate in an educational conversation and celebration of Trans* Day of Visibility. The event will be hosted by WIU Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Chase J. Catalano.

• Britteney Black Rose Kapri
Tuesday, April 2, 7 p.m. in the Multicultural Center: Britteney Black Rose Kapri is a poet, teaching artist and Slytherin from Chicago. Currently she is an alumna, turned Teaching Artist Fellow at Young Chicago Authors. She is a staff member for Black Nerd Problems and Pink Door Women's Writing Retreat. Her first chapbook, titled "Winona and Winthrop," was published in June 2014 through New School Poetics. She has also been published in the Breakbeat Poets, volume one and two, Poetry Magazine, Vinyl, Day One, Seven Scribes, The Offing and Kinfolks Quarterly Walls. She is a 2015 Rona Jaffe Writers Award Recipient. The event is co-sponsored by the University Union Board and Unity.

For more information about any of the events, contact the WIU Women's Center at (309) 298-2242.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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