With the emergence of the first serious female Presidential candidate in United States history, a more relevant topic – “Women in Politics” -- could not have been picked at SUNY Fredonia to commemorate Women’s History Month.
“Obviously, our group’s decision to make ‘Women in Politics’ the theme for this year’s Women’s History Month was influenced by (Sen.) Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign; however, there were other factors in our decision to make this the theme,” said Alyssa Brooke-Gay, WSU president. These, she said, included current administration policies related to various women’s rights issues in the United States and abroad.
“We have chosen to have a wide variety of events for this year’s history month, involving a letter-writing campaign, a leadership training and an open mic night,” said Ms. Brooke-Gay, a junior from Rochester majoring in American Studies, English and Women’s Studies.
She is optimistic that such a wide range of events will appeal to students who are not interested in a traditional lecture, although organizers will also supplement the “out-of-the-box” events with some traditional lectures.
Opening ceremonies will be staged Monday, March 3, 5 p.m., at Café G in the Williams Center.
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Dr. Allyson Lowe.
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A brief description of the current position of women in the political arena and discussion of changes that could be made to improve their stake in it will be presented by Dr. Allyson Lowe on Tuesday, March 4, 7 p.m., at S104 Williams Center.
Dr. Lowe, who serves as director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women, Politics, and Public Policy and assistant professor of Political Science at Chatham University, Pittsburgh, will also lead a mini-workshop, “Ready to be Heard: Advocacy 101,” to teach ways to change policies and legislative bills, how to talk to the press and how to circulate messages.
“Tres Vidas,” a musical theater event that celebrates the lives of three Latino women (Frida Kahlo, Rufina Anaya, and Alfonsina Storni), will be presented by guest artist, “The Core Ensemble,” on Monday, March 10, at 7 p.m., at the Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall. From a script written by Chilean poet and writer Marjorie Agosin, actress Georgina Corbo offers powerful portrayals of each woman and includes the singing of traditional Mexican folk songs as well as Argentinean popular and tango songs. She is accompanied by three musicians who comprise the ensemble: Tahirah Whittington (cello), Hugh Hinton (piano), and Michael Parola (percussion).
Erin Vilardi, from the White House Project, a non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing women in all sectors of the community, will speak on Tuesday, March 11, at 7 p.m., at Café G Williams Center.
Equipped with nothing more than a small table and typewriter and dressed in vintage clothing, performance artist Sheryl Oring will engage students in writing letters to the current and future president on Monday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Multipurpose Room Williams Center. “I invite students to dictate postcards to the next president,” Ms. Oring explained, one student at a time. “When they are with me, they have my full attention. I listen closely to what they say and type their words verbatim.”
Ms. Brooke-Gay believes this session will generate much needed grass roots activism on campus. “I am personally excited to have Sheryl Oring come to this campus,” she said. “Hopefully, students will leave this event not only encouraged to partake in the political process, but also feeling like they have a personal connection with the political world,” she said.
An overview of the struggle to get women involved in politics following passage of the 19th Amendment that gave them the right to vote will be offered in by Dr. Nancy McGlen, who served in the College of Arts & Sciences at Niagara University, on Tuesday, March 18, at 7 p.m., in S104 Williams Center. “I talk about the barriers, how they have been overcome (or not) and a prognosis for the upcoming fall election,” Dr. McGlen said. She will address the prospect of women serving on the U.S. Supreme Court and in other appointed positions, and may also offer a post-mortem or prognosis on Sen. Hillary Clinton, candidate for the Democratic Party nomination, based on recent primary election outcomes.
The annual student research conference on gender, featuring student research and writing, will be held Tuesday, April 1, from 4 to 6 p.m., at Café G in the Williams Center.
An open mic night and closing ceremonies on Wednesday, April 2, from 8 to 10 p.m., at The Spot, Williams Center, will provide a venue for students to perform poetry, music and comedy related to the month’s theme. Voter registration forms and absentee ballots will be also available.
The 40-member Women’s Student Union addresses current feminist issues concerning the student population and educates the campus community about larger sociopolitical issues.
