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Lafayette College’s celebration of Women’s History Month features a keynote talk on “The Politics of Women’s Health” by Norma Swenson, a founding member of the Boston Women’s Health Collective and coauthor of Our Bodies, Ourselves, March 20, among many other events.
“The purpose of Lafayette’s Women’s History Month is to foreground women’s lives and experiences, to educate members of the community about women’s past and present accomplishments and struggles, and present some of women’s dreams for the future,” says Deborah L Byrd, associate professor of English and coordinator of Women’s Studies at Lafayette. “Through our programming, we seek to draw attention to the diversity of women’s thoughts and experiences, as well as note commonalities among women.”
Byrd will participate in a panel discussion on “Leaping From Black History Month to Women’s History Month,” along with Lafayette students and Rexford A. Ahene, associate professor of economics and business and chair of Africana Studies, March 3 in the Interfaith Chapel, Hogg Hall. They will discuss the ways in which racism and sexism are distinct yet integrally related.
The celebration will also feature Ricki Kantrowitz, a professor of psychology at Westfield State College, speaking on “The Beijing Conference on Women and Beyond: Women’s Mental Health from a Global Perspective” March 23.
Byrd says, “This year we’re particularly pleased that NIA, a black women’s support group on campus, is sponsoring a three-day conference on women, and that a number of other groups, such as the Association for Lafayette Women and the Panhellenic Council, are cosponsoring their symposium.”
The NIA conference, March 24-26, will include a panel of international students speaking on women’s lives and their own experiences in their home countries. There will be a symposium with presentations and discussions on women as leaders and body satisfaction and a free lunch buffet. There will also be a step show and three films, The Joy Luck Club, The Women of Brewster Place, and If These Walls Could Talk.
At the 6th annual LVAIC Undergraduate Conference in Women’s Studies April 1, seniors Lee Ann Friend (Orange, Conn.), Megan Palmer (Pownal, Vt.), and Lisa Vislocky (Staten Island, N.Y.) will make presentations. Junior Angela Neal ’01 (Germantown, Md.) will lead a keynote panel discussion entitled “Breaking Silence: A Conversation Among Young Feminists.” Conducted by the Women’s Studies Coalition of the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges, the conference will be hosted by Cedar Crest College.
In the gallery of the Williams Center for the Arts “Hearts and Bones,” an exhibition of works by artist Janet Taylor Pickett, is on display through March 12. Sandra Starck, professor of art at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, will speak on women printmakers and will conduct free printmaking workshop at Lafayette’s Printmaking Studio March 21-23.
Women’s History Month events are sponsored by the Women’s Studies Program, NIA, and the Association for Lafayette Women, along with the following:
Student organizations: Brothers of Lafayette, Coalition on Relationship and Rape Education (CORRE), Hillel, International Students Association, Lafayette Activities Forum, and Panhellenic Council;
Academic departments, programs, and institutes: Africana Studies, art, English, the Ethics Project, Experimental Printmaking Institute, government and law, international affairs, Jewish Studies, psychology, Values and Science/Technology (VAST); and
Administrative offices and centers: Career Services, Chaplain’s Office, Counseling Center, Friends of Skillman Library, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Intercultural Development, Skillman Library, and Williams Center for the Arts.
For more information, call Byrd, (610) 330-5238.
Here is the full calendar events for Women’s History Month at Lafayette:
Through March 12 – Exhibit: “Hearts and Bones” by Janet Taylor Pickett, Williams Center Art Gallery
Through March 31 – Exhibit: Women’s health resources, Skillman Library
Tuesday, February 29, 7:30 p.m. – Film: “A Letter Without Words” with discussion by filmmaker Lisa Lewenz, Kirby Hall of Civil Rights auditorium
Tuesday, February 29, 9 p.m. – “Images of Success,” non-traditional fashion show focusing on accomplishments rather than appearances, Gilbert’s
Wednesday, March 1, 7 p.m. – Panel discussion: “Women’s Career Night,” featuring Lafayette alumnae, Limburg Theater, Farinon Center
Friday, March 3, noon – Panel discussion: “Leaping From Black History Month to Women’s History Month,” featuring students, Rexford A. Ahene, associate professor of economics and business and chair of Africana Studies, and Deborah L. Byrd, associate professor of English and chair of Women’s Studies, speaking on the ways in which racism and sexism are distinct yet integrally related, lunch available for $3, Interfaith Chapel, Hogg Hall
Monday, March 6, noon – Multimedia presentation: “Media Madness: Images of Women” by Madeleine Langman of the Bailey Health Center and Lafayette students, showing how media influences perceptions of women, Limburg Theater, Farinon Center
Monday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. – Keynote talk: “The Politics of Women’s Health” by Norma Swenson, founding member of the Boston Women’s Health Collective and coauthor of Our Bodies, Ourselves, Kirby Hall of Civil Rights auditorium
Tuesday, March 21, 9 a.m.-noon — Printmaking workshop conducted by Sandra Starck, Printmaking Studio, 421 Hamilton Street. Reserve space by calling Curlee Raven Holton, (610) 330-5592
Wednesday, March 22, 1:30 p.m. – Slide Lecture: “Women Printmakers” by Sandra Starck, professor of art at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, Printmaking Studio, 421 Hamilton Street
Thursday, March 23, 9 a.m.-noon — Printmaking workshop conducted by Sandra Starck, Printmaking Studio, 421 Hamilton Street. Reserve space by calling Curlee Raven Holton, (610) 330-5592
Thursday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. – Talk: “The Beijing Conference on Women and Beyond: Women’s Mental Health from a Global Perspective” by Ricki Kantrowitz, professor of psychology, Westfield State College, Kirby Hall of Civil Rights auditorium
Friday, March 24, 10 p.m. — Coffeehouse featuring Kate & CJ, Gilbert’s
Friday, March 24, noon – NIA Conference on Women. Panel discussion: “Women from a Global Perspective” featuring Lafayette faculty and students, Interfaith Chapel, Hogg Hall.
Friday, March 24, 7 p.m. – NIA Conference on Women. Step show, Farinon Center atrium
Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – NIA Conference on Women. Symposium: “Women and Leadership” with Lea Williams of the Women’s Leadership Institute at Bennett College and “Women of Color and Body Satisfaction” with Carol Powell, doctoral candidate at Lehigh University, Marlo Room, Farinon Center. Complimentary luncheon served from 1-2 p.m.
Saturday, March 25, 4 p.m. – NIA Conference on Women. Film: The Joy Luck Club, Limburg Theater, Farinon Center
Sunday, March 26, 1 p.m. – NIA Conference on Women. Film, The Women of Brewster Place, Limburg Theater, Farinon Center
Sunday, March 26, 4 p.m. – NIA Conference on Women. Film, If These Walls Could Talk, Limburg Theater, Farinon Center
Monday, March 27, 7 p.m. – “A Salute to Black Womanhood,” Colton Chapel
Wednesday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. – Lecture: “Addictions: Disastrous Diseases” by certified therapist Robin Blake, Marlo Room, Farinon Center
Saturday, April 1, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – LVAIC Women’s Studies Coalition 6th Annual Undergraduate Conference in Women’s Studies, including presentations by Lee Ann Friend ’00, Megan Palmer ’00, and Lisa Vislocky ’00, and keynote panel discussion with Angela Neal ’01 and others on “Breaking Silence: A Conversation Among Young Feminists,” Cedar Crest College. Contact Debbie Byrd, (610) 330-5238
Sunday, April 2, 12:30 p.m. – Bus trip from Williams Center to “The Holocaust Project: From Darkness into Light,” art exhibit by Judy Chicago, at Lehigh University. No charge
Wednesday, April 12, through Saturday, April 15, 8 p.m. – Lafayette College Theatre production: Alison’s House by Susan Glaspell, Williams Center for the Arts
Thursday, April 18, 4:10 p.m. – Poetry reading by Israeli poet Karen Alkalay-Gut, Interfaith Chapel, Hogg Hall