The week of the 25th to the 29th of March, the Women’s Studies IDS 310 class will put on ‘Women’s Week,’ highlighting the important contributions women make in societies as part of their final social activist project. Professor Anna Christiansen, who teaches the IDS course, said, “It’s a way to allow [students] to become active and enact change in their local communities. A lot of students feel that their impact is limited, but spreading awareness about these issues is incredibly important for bringing about gender equality,” added Christiansen. Caitlyn Nalder, a senior in IDS from Idaho and a member of the social activist project, believes this week will empower women and men to stand up for the inequality that exists between the genders. Nalder said, “One of my favorite professors once told me, ‘You can’t be had by something if you know about it’ and I think that’s what this week is about—raising awareness about the issues that face women and how they have overcome their trials.” The week begins with a screening of the new United Nation’s sponsored, ‘Girl Rising’ documentary, which tells the stories of ten women in different parts of the world and their struggles to overcome poverty, education gaps, sexual abuse, and unwanted pregnancy. For the Kuhio school holiday on Tuesday, students are invited to start their morning off at 9 a.m. with a 5k breast cancer run to raise awareness about the disease that affects thousands of women each year. On Wednesday, Kelly Andersen, an entrepreneurship professor, will speak to students about her journey as a woman climbing up the business ladder. Allie Lovinger, a senior in psychology from Colorado, was one of the leads in charge of planning Wednesday’s event. Lovinger said of Andersen, “It is our hope that listening to Professor Andersen speak about her own trials she has had to overcome will inspire other women to pursue business as a viable career.” During the 11 o’clock hour, the class will host an intercultural women’s panel to discuss how being a woman differs in different regions. Art, music, poetry, and dance will be showcased on Friday, March 29. The concert will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Aloha Center room 155 followed by light refreshments. “Personally I believe music is such a great way to bring people together and express emotion, and I think it will be a great end to our Women’s Week,” added Nalder. Khurram Solemon, a senior in information system from Pakistan, decided to join the class because for him, “learning about women is interesting.” Solemon is one of the team members working on the culminating music night. “This is the first time that we have done a full week of activities, so I’m excited to see how it turns out,” said Christiansen.
Writer: Sydney Odell~Multimedia Journalist
