作者:Jonah Grinkewitz

Old Dominion University will celebrate 女性的 历史 Month this March by highlighting women who advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. The theme, led by ODU’s 女性的 & Gender Equity Center, will be incorporated into programming that includes talks by women leaders and writers, a Barbie-themed festival, and a pop-up market to promote transgender visibility.

To kick off the month on March 1, ODU’s 文学院 and 信 Department of Communication and Theatre 艺术 and the 女性的 & Gender Equity Center will host an exhibition that celebrates the beauty and diversity of Black hair at 5:30 p.m. at the Goode Theatre. “My Crown is Powerful” will feature photos of ODU students, faculty and staff that showcase the creative ways Black hair can be styled to represent identity and culture.

Students can dress as their favorite Barbie (or Ken) for the “Barbie Blow Out” festival at 5:30 p.m. March 11 in the Webb Center North Café. The event will feature dancing, food, photo booths and more.

Serving as the keynote speaker for the month, American culture writer Evette 迪翁 will give a talk at 5:30 p.m. March 19 at the University Theatre. 迪翁, who has written about the intersections of race, gender and size for publications including the New York Times, Time magazine and Cosmopolitan, will discuss the history of Black women’s civic engagement in the United States. The event is hosted by ODU’s Institute for Ethics and Public Affairs and will include a Q&A在谈话之后.

Another event will feature two former student athletes who formed careers in the professional sports industry.

The “RennHERssance Listening Lab” at 5 p.m. March 20 in Chartway Arena’s Big Blue Room will feature Lori Robinson, player engagement manager for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, 和凯拉·卡森, owner of DRIP Athletic Club in Virginia Beach. The former student athletes will 分享 how they carved a path for themselves in the sports industry.

Closing out the month is “Femme Fest” from 11 a.m. 到2点.m. March 26 in the North Café and lobby of Webb Center. In celebration of 国际 Transgender Day of Visibility, the University will host a pop-up market featuring more than 15 vendors from the ODU community whose identities include transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming.

Other events include:

  • 3月12日 — 国际 女性的 Day: “Girl on FI-HER” Trivia, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Mane Webb Front Desk. 女性的 & Gender Equity Center will host a trivia competition on women’s history with prizes and custom T-shirt giveaways.
  • 3月13日 — “Misogynoir and the Intersections of Black Womanhood,” 6-7:30 p.m., Darden Multipurpose Room 1106, Education Building. Panel discussion on the unique challenges Black women face in health, education and the workplace.
  • 3月21日 — “50 Shades of 女性 EquiTea,” 12-2 p.m., Executive 餐厅 Room 1310, Webb Center. Open forum for female students to 分享 their experiences and perspectives on topics including womanism, feminism and social and cultural identity. Food and beverages will be provided.