St. Bonaventure University’s Damietta Center, which serves as a crucial hub for the collaborative support of historically disenfranchised communities, will host a number of events to celebrate Women’s History Month.

“This year’s Women’s History Month programs will give a voice to the issues that women face personally and professionally,” said Parker Suddeth, coordinator of the Damietta Center for Multicultural Student Affairs at the university.

“Our programs for students and our invited speakers reflect upon the mission and programmatic objectives of the Damietta Center. As a Franciscan university whose deep roots are steeped in social justice and inclusion, we believe that these events will be meaningful and transformative,” he said.

Events:

Wednesday, March 13
6:30 p.m., Damietta Center, room 208, Reilly Center
Who are We?  

This event will give women an opportunity to craft their own story demonstrating their power and strength. Those in attendance will be asked to reflect upon who they are as women using the prompt “who am I and how am I a hero?” Damietta Center team members will guide the exercise by drawing out achievements, goals and action steps from participants.

Thursday, March 21
11:40 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Damietta Center
Distinguished Speaker: Lana Benatovich, president & CEO of the National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York (NFJC)

Benatovich will discuss the important role the NFJC plays in advocating for equity in women’s rights in Western New York. 

Tuesday, March 26
7 p.m., Walsh Amphitheater
Distinguished Speaker: Jodi Merriday, Ph.D., women’s rights activist

Although women have made gains socially, professionally and economically, sexism remains a pervasive barrier to equality. This session provides a historical framework for understanding sexism and explores trending topics to highlight contemporary challenges that women face in regard to equality. Participants will be introduced to multiracial and multicultural biographies of high-achieving women, five empowerment tools that can be used to challenge sexism, and a blueprint for how to become an ally in the quest for women’s equality and social justice.

Thursday, March 28
7 p.m., Damietta Center
Women’s History is OUR History Open Mic Night

Members of the SBU community are invited to perform poetry, stories and essays celebrating the accomplishments women have made throughout history.

These Women’s History Month events are sponsored by the university’s Damietta Center for Multicultural Student Affairs.