Westminster celebrates Women’s History Month with series of events

Westminster College’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has announced its schedule of events in observance of Women’s History Month with the theme “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”

Author Dr. Natasha Garrett, author of “Motherland”—a collection of personal essays that explores various facets of the modern migration experience—kicked off the month’s events at the Peace Studies Coffeehouse on March 8. Garrett discussed her how roles as a mother, educator and writer are complicated, but also liberated by her cross-cultural living as a Macedonian in the States. 

Garrett, who was born in Skopje, Macedonia and came to the U.S. as an undergraduate student, is currently the director of international student services at La Roche University.

A showing of the movie “My Name is Pauli Murray” will take place at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 21, in the Cultural Center. The film is a look at the life and ideas of Murray, a non-binary Black lawyer, Episcopal priest, gender equality advocate, civil rights activist and poet who influenced both Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall. his event is sponsored by the Wellness Center at Westminster College. 

A poetry reading honoring the life and legacy of American poet Nikki Giovanni will take place at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 23, in the Cultural Center. Her writings cover topics including race and social issues, as well as children’s literature. A winner of the Langston Hughes Medal, she was also nominated for a Grammy Award for her poetry album “The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection.” Staff, students and faculty are invited to share a poem written or influenced by Giovanni during this event.

Concluding the events in observance of Women’s History Month, the Panhellenic Council at Westminster College will host a Women’s History Month Trivia Night with a focus on prominent women in our history at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 28, in Berlin Lounge. 

In addition to the Women’s History Month events, every Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Cultural Center the Westminster College Black Student Union (BSU) will host an event series titled “Ain’t I A Woman?” highlighting and celebrating the contributions of Black women. 

For more information on the events in observance of Women’s History Month, please contact Candace Okello, associate dean of student affairs, at okelloca@westminster.edu.  

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