March is Women’s History Month, and this year NIU will celebrate with an array of events based on the theme of “Women, Wealth, and Economic Justice.”
“Poverty and economic justice are at the forefront of national political debates today as well as key issues globally,” said NIU Women’s Studies Program Director Amy Levin. “I can’t think of a more timely focus for our events this month.”
A complete schedule of lectures, exhibits, performances and other activities is available online.
Events include the following.
Thursday, March 1
- NIU celebrates its seventh annual “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” Sticker Day. The event aims to break harmful stereotypes that cast all feminists as white, female, middle-class or politically radical, and to open up the definitions of the word “feminist” to more complicated meanings. Stop by Room 103 in Reavis Hall to pick up a free sticker and wear it with pride. Buttons are also available for $1.
Monday, March 5
- Laura Carpenter, a professor of sociology at Vanderbilt University, will offer a seminar on “The Do’s and Don’ts in Qualitative Sexuality Research,” at noon in Watson Hall, Room 110. At 2 p.m., Carpenter will present a public lecture on gender, sexuality, sexual health and medicine. The lecture will take place in Faraday Hall, room 144.
Wednesday, March 21
- Public Administration Professor Alicia Schatteman will present “Women’s Giving: Changing the Face of Philanthropy,” at noon in Holmes Student Center’s Illinois Room.
Monday, March 26
- Susie Porter, professor of history and director of Gender Studies at the University of Utah, will discuss women’s empowerment, education, workforce participation and the expansion of spaces of women’s culture in her presentation, “Of Suffragists & Secretaries: Commercial Education, Women’s Networks, and Female Empowerment in Mexico City.” The presentation begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Latino Center, room 121.
Tuesday, March 27
- Professor Porter will present “Of Workers, Señoritas, and Secretaries: Women, Office Work, and Class Identity in Mexico City, 1890-1920,” a public lecture focusing on recent trends in Mexican historiography of women and labor. The talk will take place at 10 a.m. in Holmes Student Center’s Illinois Room.
- Vanessa Segundo, research and project specialist for NIU’s Latino Resource Center, will lead a discussion after a screening of the award-winning documentary “Maquilapolis: City of Factories.” The screening begins at 6 p.m. in the Latino Center, room 121.
Thursday, March 29
- “Occupy This: A Teach-In,” will examine the Occupy movement from multiple perspectives. The teach-in begins at 12:15 p.m. in the Campus Life Building, room 100.
All events are open to the public and, unless otherwise noted, are free. Sign language interpreters will be provided upon request; call (815) 753-6515. One week’s notice is preferred.
In addition to the Women’s Studies Program, event sponsors include the NIU Graduate Colloquium Committee; Graduate School; LGBT Studies Program; departments of History, Sociology and Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations; Division of Public Administration; Center for Latino and Latin American Studies; Latino Resource Center; and Center for NGO Leadership and Development (NGOLD).
For more information, email womenst@niu.edu or call the Women’s Studies Program at (815) 753-1038.
