For the past 12 years during March, the Centre for Race & Ethnic Relations and the Office of the University Advisor on the Status of Women at York have organized a series of public educational activities. All the events are coordinated under the York March 8-March 21 Coalition. The events commemorate International Women’s Day (March 8) and the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (March 21). This year, the coalition has arranged a number of guest speakers, panel discussions and film & video screenings that address concerns of sexism, racism and related human rights issues.
For International Women’s Day, York’s Status of Women Office has planned a special series of events. March 8 is commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. It is an occaison when women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to reflect on a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
Coalition events for March 8-12 (Week One)
- Monday, March 8 (4:30- 6:30pm)
The March Coalition reception will take place in the Chancellor’s Lounge at The Underground Restaurant in the Student Centre.
5pm Opening Remarks by York President & Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden
5:15pm Reading Like A Girl, a poetry reading by Rishma Dunlop
Rishma Dunlop is a professor of literary studies in the Faculty of Education at York University. Her research interests include literary theory, diasporic and transnational identities, human rights education, esthetics, feminist theory, postcolonial theory, fine arts cultural studies and women in the arts. She has written extensively on women scholars in the arts and she is the founder of The Red Shoes Collective, a collective of women artists-researchers. She is a poet and fiction writer whose work has won awards and has appeared in numerous books, journals and anthologies, nationally and internationally. She is the author of four volumes of poetry.
Tuesday, March 9 (and every Tuesday, 11:30am – 1:30pm)
Women for Women meetings take place in room 201 of Bethune College. The purpose of Women for Women is to have a casual and comfortable setting for women to discuss security issues openly and to determine concerns particular to women. The objective is to resolve issues and to have women feel comfortable with York’s security personnel and to not hesitate to approach any officer with any questions. This is open to all women of the University: students, faculty and staff.
- Tuesday, March 9 (1-2pm)
The Street Proofing Workshop for Women will take place at Founders College in the Master’s Dining Room (015A). The workshop is intended to educate women on personal safety and will be geared towards participants using assertiveness, awareness and situational tools in order to go about their daily activities in a safer fashion. Free. Registration required. Light refreshments will be provided. Please e-mail: womenyrk@yorku.ca to register.
- Wednesday, March 10 (4-6pm)
The Centre for Feminist Research Open House will take place in room 228, York Lanes.
- Friday, March 12 (3-5pm)
The Upfront Theatre/CHRY International Women’s Day Celebration will take place in the Grad Pub on the 7th floor in the North Ross Building. The celebration will feature a live performance with Avetha, Collene and Mary Wright. There will also be a dramatized reading from Dread Culture. Admission restricted to those 19 years of age and older (ID required). More information is available by calling 416-636-0348 or by e-mailing upfrontfoundation@yoahoo.co.uk for more information.
- Friday, March 12 (3-4pm)
The Kaleidoscope Radio Show will feature Women & Culture: Voices From Africa. The show will air on CHRY 105.5 FM, members of the York community can listen live at www.yorku.ca/chry. The Kaleidoscope team will discuss the situation of women in various African nations. Cultural barriers act strongly to separate women from men in many unjust ways. These barriers create many inequalities and dangers to women’s lives in many parts of the world. This show will also attempt to shed light on the diverse lives and experiences of African women. For more information click here.
For the complete schedule of events planned visit the March 8-March 21 Coalition Web site.