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This is What a Feminist Looks Like!
 On April 16th, DePaul Women's and Gender Studies honors society sponsored a public campaign at the Lincoln Park campus, called "This is What a Feminist Looks Like." Concerned by the negative associations that have come to be linked with the terms "feminist" and "feminism," Iota Iota Iota (Triota) created a unique event geared towards raising awareness of the diversity within the feminist movement by bringing real-life, feminist faces to DePaul students and guests. A feminist photo campaign was displayed on-site as a statement to the multiplicities of the people and beliefs that collectively define "feminism" at DePaul University. Throughout the event, guests volunteered to have their own photos taken and contributed to the project. Additionally, there was another collaborative art project that hope to define the terms "community," "activism," and "feminism" as DePaul students seem them. Local, female-owned businesses were kind enough to donate raffle prizes, which included gifts from Andersonville's Early to Bed (5232 N Sheridan Rd), Lincoln Park's Tabula Tua (1015 W Armitage Ave), and Chico Bags. By combining art, politics, music, dancing, and prizes, Triota was able to offer a fun and educational afternoon at DePaul's Student Center. The event created a public space for discussion about feminist issues and organizations, while providing the public with an atrium full of feminists and feminisms. |
Earning A Women's and
Gender Studies
Certificate
by Nadia Chivers
I am a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program and decided to get a Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies at the recommendation of one of my professors, Dr. Jill Murray. She learned of my passion for women's rights while she was my field liaison during my internship at Rape Victim Advocates. I am so grateful she made me aware of this opportunity, because it has, without a doubt, enhanced my educational experience.
I've found the Certificate to be a great option for those who are getting a degree in another area but want to expand their knowledge of women and gender studies. It requires only four extra classes (3 electives and Feminist Theories), and with so many elective options it is easy to find courses that fit your particular interests. The most difficult part is deciding which electives to choose!
Every course I have taken so far has been an amazing and inspiring learning experience. In short, my education would not be complete without this program. Each class has left me thirsty for more knowledge, while motivating me to become more active in fighting oppression. I would enthusiastically encourage anyone who cares about ending injustice to earn a Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies. I have found it to be a challenging, yet fulfilling way to complete my education.
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DePaul Visit Day
by Chera Tribble
On April 6th, the interns of Take Back The Halls invited students from Senn, Clemente, and North Lawndale High School to participate in DePaul Visit Day. DePaul Visit Day is an opportunity for the students from the three high schools involved in TBTH to come together and create new friendships while also experiencing what it is like to be on a college campus.
Beginning at 10 a.m the students from the three different high schools were accompanied by the interns of TBTH where they all met at DePaul's campus and participated in numerous group activities. A campus tour was arranged for the students, followed by lunch and games. The day ended with an open mic located in the student center. Students shared poems, short stories and songs; while also having an opportunity to share with one another their community activism projects that they have been planning.
When DePaul Visit Day came to an end, the students were left with new knowledge, new memories and new friends.
For more information on TBTH and becoming an intern please contact Dr. Beth Catlett. BCATLETT@depaul.edu
TBTH is a teen dating violence prevention and community activism program. TBTH gives teens the opportunity to examine issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse, as well as a variety of social structures that support violence in our culture.
Annie Boyle, intern at North Lawndale comments on TBTH DePaul Visit Day:
"DePaul Visit Day is important because it gives the students an opportunity to step back from discussing serious issues such as domestic violence and sexual violence and a chance to interact with the interns and students from other high schools that participate in Take Back the Halls. For me, the event was an opportunity to create solidarity among all the members of Take Back the Halls. Because the interns are divided up among three different high schools, we do not have many opportunities to collaborate together except during our night class, but DePaul Visit Day brought everyone together and I was able to finally meet some of the students that my fellow interns have mentioned.
My favorite part of DePaul visit day was the open mic portion. It was great to see so many of the students sing songs they wrote or perform poems they've written. It can be nerve-racking to perform in front of strangers and college students, but they were very courageous. The best part was to the lessons they've learned from Take Back the Halls conveyed in their performances; it let us know as interns and directors that we made an impact."
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Feminist Front
Feminist Front is a group dedicated to the views of liberal and radical feminists at DePaul University. We aim to deconstruct the stereotypes of what it means to be a feminist while aiming to support the empowerment of female bodied or female identified people and their allies. We understand the concept of intersectionality and work to challenge patriarchy in its many forms. We believe in a diversity of tactics and hope to create an open environment and safe space where thoughts, opinions and ideas can be shared respectfully. We acknowledge our personal privileges, yet strive to recognize the historical and continued marginalization of all groups of people, not just women. We defend the rights of all people and encourage their personal and political empowerment.
We endorse consent and believe in the personal responsibility of all members to take on responsibility. Please join us Tuesday nights at 9pm in the Student Center for our weekly meetings.
If you have any questions, email us at:
Bestfeministsforever@
gmail.com
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May 22 - Spectrum Day
OUT at Lunch
LPSC 1st Floor Atrium
11:30 AM-1:00PM
Exploring the Impact of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity on Career Exploration [Workshop]
LPSC 380
1:30PM-2:30 PM
May 23 -
Queer View DePaul
[Presentation Community Outreach]
LPSC 325
10:00AM-2:00PM
May 28 -
3rd Annual Stonewall Awards & Luncheon Ceremony with Key Note Speaker Robert Garofalo, MD, MPH
Cortelyou Commons
11:30 AM -2:00PM
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Greetings!
Greetings and Happy Spring!
I love the Spring - the emerging green throughout the landscape and the bursts of bright colored flowers, including my favorite dandelions! I love the signs of new growths and wonderful possibilities. This is what I'm thinking about as I wind down my term as Director of Women's and Gender Studies and the opportunities and possibilities it presents for the Program, including the fresh ideas and strategies that the new interim co-directors Susan Leigh and Tina Chanter will bring in the year ahead. I'm looking forward to how the program will build on the strengths established over the past 23 years as well as expand its breadth and depth. For myself, I look forward to a year's research leave with the opportunity to read widely, write a book I've been envisioning tentatively titled Feminism, Privilege, and Power: Cultivating an Ethics of Accountability, and continue my work with the Women and Girls Collective Action Network to document and connect grassroots antiviolence movements based in community accountability and transformative justice practices. And I'm also excited about participating more actively in social justice organizing around the city and rejuvenating my spirit. My goal is to return to DePaul refreshed, positive, and hopeful. As you can see, I've got big plans! Stay tuned!
I just want to say that for me, it has been an honor to have the opportunity to contribute as a Director of the Program over the past six years. With its many challenges, it has made me aware of the amazing possibilities that open up when we collaborate, support, nurture, and build on our individual and collective visions for change. Faculty, staff, and students in this program have done so much to bring visibility to and significantly expand our program and to contribute to positive social change at DePaul and beyond. Our collective accomplishments have included the significant increase in the numbers of program as well as affiliated faculty, the ongoing development of our gender studies and transnational curriculum, the birth of the graduate MA and BA/MA Programs with over 30 students now enrolled, the growth of the Women and Gender Research Initiative co-founded by Dr. Beth Catlett and Dr. Irene Beck, and the proliferation of student based initiatives including the Triota Honor Society, the LGBTQA Student Services Office, the RISE Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence website, the position of a Coordinator of Sexual Assault Support Services, among many others.
One of the most significant challenges as well as site of immense possibility within Women's and Gender Studies and within broader feminist movements across the world is the practice of creating solidarity and community across differences, divides, and inequalities. While we often want to come together across differences, we often do not have the tools to navigate the historical legacies and present inequalities that permeate our relations with one another. It was with this in mind that a group came together to organize the "Creating Solidarity" conference. What an honor it was to work with this amazing group, with Adaku Utah facilitating our work together, and the organizing team of Annie Boyle, Dr. Laila Farah, Lynwellyn Gudger, Jessica Nyman, Alice Rollins, Caroline Smith, and Chera Tribble. It was a powerful two days - challenging us to grapple with the challenges before us in building solidarity through alliances and coalitions and offering us practical tools for engagement and accountability, based on a full recognition of where we stand within these systems of power and in relation to one another (more on page 7 ). I hope that we will continue to collectively build on these frameworks and tools, in our classes, programs, collaborations, and organizations. I am convinced of their necessity in building relationships, communities, and movements capable of remaking the world with love, peace, and justice at its center!
As the Spring Quarter winds down, I want to remind you of two key upcoming events in the hopes that you'll be able to participate! Two of our signature events this year include "On the Cutting Edge: Students Present their Undergraduate Capstone Projects" which will be on Tuesday, May 26, 3:30 pm, Student Center 314. And then Wednesday, June 3 (2-4 pm, Student Center, Room 314), the MA Graduate Students will be presenting their powerful final projects! Check out the titles of all of these cutting edge provocative projects (page 10)! In addition, please consider participating in "Drawn from Experience" art show, and also in the many events connected with the LGBTQA Awareness Month (page 12).
Wishing you the best in the coming year!
Best, Ann Russo |
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A Meditation on Female Lead Protagonists in Science Fiction Films
by Sandra Jackson, Professor
 In the forthcoming special issue of African Identities,* devoted to the topic, "The Black Imagination and Science Fiction," I have contributed a piece, "Terrains, Extraterrestrials, Warriors and the Last (Wo)man Standing." This article is framed within a discourse in a context of the rare presence of Black protagonists, and the even rarer Black female protagonist who not only survives, but also prevails as a heroic figure in the genre of science fiction and horror thriller films. My abiding fascination with science fiction is fueled by my interest in the following questions: who is present; who is absent and how has the future scenario/vision of the future come to be? With few exceptions, Black characters are killed off early, die horrible deaths, and are eliminated from the story by the end. Most of the time in a battle to the death, with technologically advanced and menacing aliens, often ending with a duel of awesome weaponry, armaments and will, the last person standing is a man: white, male, with an enhanced gladiator's body, often trained by the military, and a lone ranger's commitment to survival. This is particularly true for science fiction horror thriller films. However, in this composite genre, Alien, Aliens, Alien Resurrection, Predator, Predator 2, and AVP: Alien vs. Predator films offer a different kind of female protagonist. Ostensibly ordinary women, civilians no less, who through their intelligence, skills wit, and survival instincts, perform heroically and when the battle is over, emerge as the last warrior standing. In my article I explore the trope of the last woman standing - the one who skillfully contends, and survives in combat and the struggle against powerful technologically advanced extraterrestrials. I examine two film franchises, Alien and Predator, and the roles of two female lead protagonists (played by Sigourney Weaver and Sanaa Lathan), representations of females and the feminine, the narratives in which they are situated, and consider the questions of race, gender, power and the heroic. Through juxtaposition of the two female protagonists - one white and one Black, and how they are situated within respective narratives, I critically examine the interplay between gender, race, notions of the feminine in a male-dominated genre, leadership, and non-stereotypical representations of women. I posit that black women can perform in non-stereotypical ways in science fiction film as well as literature, offering possibilities for Black women "to perform in ways that are heroic, emancipator, not only as warriors in the traditional sense, but as warriors in defense of humanity in terms of community and ethical agency." African Identities an international journal, Special issue, "The Black Imagination and Science Fiction." forthcoming May 2009. Volume 7. No. 2. Co-Edited by Sandra Jackson and Julie Moody-Freeman. |
Creating Solidarity Across Differences
by Caroline Smith
"Blending compassion with resistance can be the basis for authentic solidarity, but it is first and foremost an act of restoring our own humanity and ability to live and act in the world with an open heart, rather than with fear."
-Simona Sharoni
The advertisement for Creating Solidarity asked us many provocative questions: "What makes a community? How do race and whiteness, heterosexuality, class and profession influence our communities of choice? How do we build bridges across differences? Can we create communities that nurture healing, celebrate identities and transform oppressive systems?" These questions laid the framework for the work done at the Creating Solidarity conference April 24 and 25th. The conference brought a wide range of people including participants from the Jane Adams Senior Caucus to the Broadway Youth Center, from the Dyke March Collective, Women and Girls CAN, Public Allies, to students attending not only DePaul but also University of Illinois, Oakton Community College, Northwestern, and Northeastern. The four workshops led by scholars and activists from around the country led audience members into a profound and meaningful experience around coalition building and creating solidarity across differences.
Cricket Keating kicked off the weekend with a workshop on Deep Coalition Building. Saturday morning was led by Aimee Carillo Rowe, Sheena Molhotra and Kimberly Perez. Their workshop included Theatre of the Oppressed style mind, body and soul work around anti-racist alliances. In the afternoon, Isis Nusair, Simona Sharoni and DePaul's Laila Farah conducted a workshop around building solidarity in context of war and occupation, drawing upon experiences working with refugees and work in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Lastly, Rachel Herzing presented her work with Creative Interventions: Antiviolence work through storytelling. Some of the feedback from audience members gives insight into the success of the speakers: "Host this event every year," one respondent wrote. Another said, "I found every single piece to be inspiring." "Everything was great - each was different from each other, each was very valuable," wrote another. In an inspiring letter, another participant wrote: "The day was a respite- in the storm of our everyday lives. Clarity in the midst of confusion- re-encountering our purpose, our voice...I never had an experience like this one within the walls of a university."
My own experiences of the conference have led me into a deeper understanding of coalition building and solidarity. One of the speakers, Simona Sharoni, has done work on Compassionate Resistance. Her writings have had an impact on my scholarship around mental health issues and feminist resilience and resistance. She is a therapist, professor, activist, mother, and has paved ways for solidarity and resistance in context of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. During the Saturday morning workshop on Anti-racist Alliances, we engaged in an activity where we walked throughout the room with our eyes closed. Gradually, we found people to connect to, people who became guides through the darkness. Race, class, clothes, position, nationality etc. became obsolete. None of these things mattered in this diverse group of people moving in the dark. We had to explore our vulnerabilities and learn to trust. During this activity, when all the people had mixed and mingled moving around with trust, guiding each other, one hand guided me. When we opened our eyes, none other than Simona Sharoni had been my guide through the dark. I marvel at how a person's words or a person's touch - through activities breaking down racial, class, nationality, or gender barriers - can become a guiding force in our lives. I later had the opportunity to talk with SImona Sharoni at length about her activist work in Israel. Her example and experiences provided profound insights into building solidarity in context of war and occupation.
Cricket Keating writes: "Key to struggling against multiple forms of domination and inequality is recognizing that race, gender, class are dynamic social processes in which everyone is located." She encourages us to take three steps. First, we must locate our experiences. Second, we must engage in seeing resistance to multiple oppressions. And third we must participate in coalitional risk-taking. She writes: "One can be located simultaneously as an 'oppressor' and 'oppressed' within a scenario...both can be resisted, and one is not passive in either." She gives an example of a white woman who must "continuously acknowledge and reject her own privileging by the racial state." Cricket Keating's steps became enacted in the flesh through my experiences with these amazing women.
During the conference on Creating Solidarity, we saw this risk taking in action from the scholars who graced us with their knowledge, perspectives and experiences. We saw how we are all positioned with hierarchical modes and also how we are able to resist and transform those positions. Aimee Carillo Rowe argues that radical modes of belonging hold tremendous potential for transformation. In one short weekend, the DePaul Community got to see this transformation in action. Like a guide through the darkness, the conference stands as a beacon of light in ways to Create Solidarity across differences. It gave participants an opportunity to restore our humanity and live and act in the world with an open heart, rather than with fear.
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Reflecting On My Process of Breaking the Silence
by Chera Tribble 
Four years ago I spent the last six months of film school working on my thesis project. In 2005 I completed the film "But it was Never Enough," my own personal way of breaking my silence. The film travels back six years and visually tells the story of my sexually abusive relationship. Screening the film at TBTN was the first time I ever openly discussed my film and my story. This is my personal reflection on how I gained the courage to officially break my silence.
Since it was made four years ago, and two years after my relationship had ended, it is crucial for people to understand the context of the film. When I finally got out of that relationship, no one was informed of what had occurred. Family and friends were left in the dark to feed on the lies I had fed them all through the terror. I moved from California to attend college in Michigan and kept the secret locked up tight. I lived in denial, confusion, anger, and sadness for nearly two years.
Finally, after taking a Women's Studies course I learned that I was not the only person on the planet that had been a victim of a - using the only language I was equipped with at the time- "fucked up" relationship. In class, I read books of other survivors, students shared their own stories, and dialogues I never knew existed were forever instilled in my life. I learned that, rape, as it had always been explained to me growing up, does not only occur in dark alley's by strangers , but in actuality, more often than not, occurs in the places you had always believed were "safe." Upon realizing that my experience was not only specific to my life and that others had and were living through the same situations, I no longer felt alone. For the first time in two years, I felt empowered. I wanted to educate all women who had also been misinformed of the truth and let them know that people you trust can hurt you. People you love can rape you. I needed to inform women who shared my silence that they were not alone. I wanted to empower others just as I had been. As difficult as it was, I wanted to re-live my experience, only this time it would be the truth. No more excuses for the bruises, or the withdrawal from my family and friends. No more ripped out journal pages for fear of discovery. No more lies. I wanted to tell the world what I should have told them two years ago while it was actually happening.
When I re-watched my film while deciding if I should play it at Take Back the Night, it made me realize how much pain and confusion I was still battling with when I had created the film. The film does not end with any messages of hope. However, I feel that it cannot be disregarded that the film represents the mind of girl who had survived intimate partner abuse and kept it a secret for two years. The film was my way of breaking the silence. It was my own personal therapy. Once the silence was broken, it was not something I wanted to fix. I was empowered. After completing the film, I was finally able to confide in people about my experience, and more importantly, people confided in me about their own experiences. People I had known for years spoke of similar situations they had also been in. I was no longer alone and neither were they. I was finally able to transition from a victim to a survivor.
Still today I often battle with the acceptance of my past. For years, I would reflect constantly on the pain and wish on all the stars in the sky to go back and change my life. Erase the memories, forget the past. I discovered that once again I was not alone in this sentiment. Most women who have survived sexual abuse yearn for the possibility of a rewind button to return to the past and record over the old with a more pleasant new. It has taken me time to slowly realize that such things will never be possible and are simply self-defeating to the healing process. If I can make at least one person realize they are not alone, or inspire others to tell their stories, then I believe that my past has a reason. It holds a deeper meaning. Wounds will eventually heal, but you will always be left with the scar. You must learn to own the scar.
This takes time. But you must never allow the scar - your past to own you. I am still learning to own my past, some days the past nearly wins the battle, but I have lived this outcome before and it is not a place I want to return. We must use our past as a tool for helping others, while helping ourselves. Finding an outlet of support has been my savior.
It may have taken six years, but there are no longer any "maybes" or unanswered questions; hands are no longer knives, "No" is finally an option, and I am not alone. The Women's and Gender Studies at DePaul has helped aide me in my growth and acceptance, my parents have instilled the strength and courage in me, and my boyfriend Chris has taught me how to love and trust again. None of these things were possible until I broke my silence. Please, tell your story, shout your story, paint your story, dance your story, film your story, just get it out there. We are not alone in this fight for survival. We must all come together for support and transform from the victims to the survivors to the resistors. Please, don't fight your battle alone.
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Take Back the Night
by Chera Tribble 
NO MORE VIOLENCE! NO MORE RAPE!" "CLAIM OUR BODIES, CLAIM OUR RIGHTS, TAKE A STAND, TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!" These were just two of the many chants that reverberated through the streets of DePaul University's Campus and Lincoln Park on April 23, 2009 as the community reclaimed the streets and took back the night.
Beginning at 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. in the Student Center and in the SAC Pit T-Shirts of all different colors hung from stair cases and ceilings for curious passers by to stop and question. The handmade T-shirts hung as testimonies to the issue of sexual violence. All the T-shirts were created by survivors of sexual violence or created by family and friends who had lost a loved one due to sexual violence. Information on the Clothesline Project was handed out to people passing by to inform them of what the shirts represented and that each color shirt represented a different form of abuse. The shirts are a way for people to break the silence while also informing people of their specific stories in relation to sexual violence. It is important for people to recognize the severity of sexual violence and become aware of the issue.
Starting at 4:45 p.m. students began to gather around the statue of the man with large hands located in front of the Student Center on Sheffield. Members of Feminist Front shouted chants as they passed out signs to students walking by that read "No Means No," "Men Can Stop Rape," and "Hands Are Not For Hitting," etc. As the crowd continued to grow alumni Kelly Kelbel began to explain the purpose of TBTN, informing the followers that TBTN strives to create a safe space for survivors and allies to join a community in opposition of sexual violence. Following Kelly, Angel Veza spoke to the crowd about Take Back the Halls, a teen dating violence prevention program that was created in connection with TBTN which works towards ending violence in teen relationships and High Schools. Alicia Oeser, Coordinator of Sexual Violence Suport Services and a rape victim advocate, spoke of resources at DePaul University for survivors and allies, followed by Beth, a sex worker from Sex Workers Outreach Project, who spoke about the history of TBTN and demanded safer streets for the women and men who work on them.
After the speakers finished, The Radical Cheerleaders pumped up the crowd with choreographed dances and fabulous cheers that left the crowd empowered and ready to march. Leading the way with a banner reading "Take Back The Night," followed by nearly hundreds of signs demanding an end to rape, sexual harassment, racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of intolerance, students filled the streets for passers by to see and join in the march. As the march continued, the crowd continued to grow. Once the group arrived at Fullerton, there was no chance for the cars: protestors filled the street and refused to give it up. Cars honked in support of the cause, while others honked in anger that we had made it impossible for them to escape our pleas for ending sexual violence. The march continued to grow stronger as it weaved through the streets and when we finally arrived back the Student Center, the crowd had nearly doubled from when we first embarked on our journey.
The crowd filtered into the multi-purpose room to begin the Speak Out. I welcomed everyone into the room and informed the group that the purpose of the Speak Out is to empower our community through speaking out against violence, while also aiming to empower survivors by publicly speaking about their own personal experiences with violence. Kelly Kelbel facilitated the group in a short activity that was aimed towards figuring out the small and large steps we as individuals can take towards ending violence in our community. After gathering ideas and establishing how to apply them to our lives, I began the Speak Out with a film I created as a medium for breaking my own personal silence. I discussed my experience with intimate partner abuse and expressed the importance of breaking the silence. My shared experience was immediately followed by incredibly brave and courageous individuals who broke the silence by sharing their own stories. For four hours, an hour longer than planned, people shared stories that ranged from harassment on the bus to sexual assault.
I had never experienced anything more empowering. The openness and bravery people had in sharing their most intimate stories with a room full of strangers was an experience that has left me speechless... except not speechless at all. It has given me the courage to continue telling my story in hope that others will share their's. On April 23, 2009 a community was created. There are people that I may never see again, but I know, and they know, that we are all out there. We are all connected and we will all continue to fight for the right to TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!  DePaul University Resources:
Counseling Center:
(773) 325-7779
LGBTQA Student Services:
(772) 325-7396
Women's Center:
(773) 325-7559
Sexual Harassment Office:
(773) 325-7496
Campus Security:
(773)325-7777
Chicago Resources:
Chicago Rape Crisis:
(888)293-2080
Rape Victim Advocates
(312)443-9603
Don't remain silence, use these resources to receive help and support.
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Announcing Interim Co-Directors for WGS Program, 2009-2010
Next year, 2009-2010, the Women's and Gender Studies Program will be led by two DePaul Professors who are long-time members of the Women's and Gender Studies Community - Susan Leigh (Women's and Gender Studies) and Tina Chanter (Philosophy). ********************************************************************* Tina Chanter is a Professor of Philosophy and has been a member of the Women's and Gender Studies Advisory Board and Committee for many years. She is author of Ethics of Eros: Irigaray's Re-writing of the Philosophers (Routledge, 1995), Time, Death and the Feminine: Levinas with Heidegger (Stanford University Press, 2001), Gender (Continuum Press, 2006), and The Picture of Abjection: Film Fetish and the Nature of Difference (Indiana University Press, 2008). She is currently writing Antigone's Affects: Political Legacies, which is under contract with SUNY Press. ********************************************************************* Tina Chanter reflects on next year as an Interim Co-Director:
I am looking forward to the challenge of co-directing the Women's and Gender Studies program with Susan next year. We are lucky to have such a vibrant faculty and student body, with so many talents and strengths. My hope is to be able to build on the incredible job that Ann Russo has done (although I will also admit to being a little daunted by having to follow in her footsteps!) I will be relying on the expertise and experience that the program faculty and students have to offer, and am very open to any ideas you might have as to the direction in which we need to develop the program. I am so happy to be working with Susan, who exudes a quiet confidence and displays such competence, and I am so grateful to Ann for her expert organizational skills and generosity in showing us the ropes and preparing us for the year to come! Having served for a good number of years on various WGS committees, I am already somewhat familiar with the kind of administrative tasks that I'll be taking on, but I am also aware that I'll be confronted with a fairly steep learning curve. I know that Karyn Haney's expertise is going to prove invaluable, and I am grateful to the program faculty for already stepping up and agreeing to help out in crucial ways. Teamwork and good communication is a key part of any successful enterprise; I am hopeful that everyone will pull together, and it is in that spirit that I embark on the coming academic year.
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Susan Leigh is Associate Vice President for Student Records and DePaul Central and an Associate Professor in the Women and Gender Studies Program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She joined DePaul University in 1992. Her classes and research focus on the representation of gender onstage, and she has taught within Women's and Gender Studies, the Theatre School, and in the Study Abroad Program. Although she prefers to direct new translations or interpretations of literature in the theatre, her CV lists over 75 productions from the east to west coasts that include acting and vocal coaching, as well as directing credits. As Associate Vice President she oversees student records as well as the university's new integrated one-stop location for Student Records, Financial Aid and Student Accounts services.
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Susan Leigh reflects on next year as Interim Co-Director:
Let's face it; there is no replacing Ann Russo! Ann's visionary leadership is without question a key factor in the critical growth and strategic opportunities that surround the Women's and Gender Studies program at this time. But Tina Chanter and I will take the helm for this next year in the face of these formidable challenges as co-directors of the Women's and Gender Studies program hoping that the deep commitment of two hearts, minds and pairs of eyes will keep us on the steady successful course. Looking ahead to the challenge, we will work together for a smooth transition aided as you may suspect by the detailed documentation that Ann has provided us, complete with all our action items and due dates.
Plus Karen Haney's exceptional skill at operational organization will doubly ensure that no detail is left undone. As you well know, WGS's core strength as a program lies not in any one person or one achievement but in the way the program faculty chooses to work together as a team. It is shared vision, drive and values that make the program thrive. In that way, Tina and I will be bolstered by the support by our program faculty colleagues who have already stepped up to shoulder responsibilities and share the demands of running this vital program. But don't worry that you won't know who to go to for what! There will be a complete guide of who is the resource for what activity. And don't forget the professional contribution and insightful support from our WGS Advisory Board and WGS Committee who are partnering with us this year to meet upcoming challenges. It is with this fresh collective enthusiasm that we approach this year all together. I could not find a better partner as co-director than Tina Chanter, a better group of colleagues than the program faculty, a better advisory and support group than our committee membership. I am also looking forward to spending more time on the Lincoln Park Campus and in the WGS Program offices getting to know our uniquely talented students who are the most valuable asset of all. |
Women's Working Lives
by Lauren Rzepka  In September 2008 I would not have guessed that I would be spending two days a week helping a 72 year-old woman learn to read. However unexpected, tutoring adult learners is one of my primary tasks as Dr. Hofman's graduate research assistant. Along with tutoring, there have many surprises throughout the year and I have learned a great deal from each one of them.
One of the first steps in our research process was to establish a collaborative relationship with a community-based organization in Humboldt Park. While I thought this would be a fairly easy task, it proved to be quite difficult. There are a great variety of community-based organizations in Humboldt Park, each providing different services to the community. Initial contacts and meetings with representatives from organizations often lead nowhere. The collaborative relationships that we did eventually develop with two community-based organizations were largely a result of a mutual contact rather than our own efforts.
One of the most surprising aspects of working on this research project was the amount of time that each goal has taken to complete. I initially thought that once the organizations had agreed to be collaborators, recruitment would soon follow and interviews would begin to be conducted. I quickly realized that this would not be the case. After the organizations agreed to collaborate, we still had to define our exact relationship and how it would lead to participant recruitment.
Most importantly, the recruitment process was far lengthier than I imagined. When I began tutoring at Association House in Humboldt Park as part of our collaboration agreement, I felt like an outsider. Students and staff rarely spoke to me, unless it was necessary. After I announced the study and asked if any individuals would be willing to be interviewed, few people responded. Only after I began working individually with students and staff and established personal relationships with them did we begin to successfully recruit participants.
There were certainly unexpected aspects of the recruitment process. The most significant of these was the way in which I became part of the Association House community. My presence in class transformed from an oddity to a relied upon occurrence. Over time I developed close relationships with the students. I learned about their reasons for attending class, their families, and the often times overwhelming obstacles they faced. Only after these relationships developed were women willing to be interviewed.
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"On the Cutting Edge: Women's and Gender Studies Students Present Their Capstone Projects"
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Tuesday, May 26, 3:30-5:30 pm.
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Undergraduate Thesis Titles:
Dunja Antunovic, "Role Models at Stake: Perceived Barriers of Division I Female Tennis Coaches"
Lily Augustus, "Demanding an End to Domestic Violence in Illinois: Examining the ICADV's Contribution to Legislation"
Emily Baas, "The Gendered Politics of Food Identities"
Melissa Furlette, "Queering Parenthood: Creating Space in the Reproductive Healthcare System"
Joel Gray, "Soul-fire and the Gift of Tongues: A White Boy's Exploration of Feminist Consciousness and Be-Longing in the Works of Gloria Anzaldúa and Delores Williams"
Christopher Jessup, "Look Who's Talking: An Analysis of Chicago's Media and the Proposal for a Social Justice Pride Campus"
Yembeka Kapakasa, "You're Not American": The Young Female Immigrant Experience"
Melissa Keller, "Beyond the Survivor/Perpetrator Binary: One Anti-Violence Organization Re-Imagines the Language of Surviving"
Jessica Nyman, "E-Girls Unite! Reimagining Community and Feminist Visual Media for the Next Wave"
Diana Peabody, "You Better Work!: Femininity, Drag, and the Possibilities for Gender Liberation"
Sara Reitz, "Import/Export: Sex Work as a Commodity in Thailand and Cambodia"
David Sgarbossa, 'High School' Masculinities: The Social Construction and Policing of Boyhood in Disney's 'High School Musical' Series"
Randall Ward, "50 Faggots: Creating a Documentary Series on Gay Effeminate Men and Gender, Identity, and Community"
Christina Wright, "Sexual Health Policies: DePaul Students Propose Changes" |
"First Class of DePaul's Graduate Program Present their Capstone Projects!"
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Wednesday, June 3, 2:00-4:00 pm, Student Center, Room 314.
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The presentations will be poster presentations where each student will have a poster that illustrates their projects and audience will be invited to engage the students in questions and ideas related to the project's central issues and questions.
***Please Note: Some Graduate Student Titles are still in progress and not included here***
Krystal Baugher , "Pervertable Tongues, 'Syntactical Make-Over' Bridging the gap through music."
Lauren Rzepka ,"Helping Couples Stay Married: A Feminist Content Analysis of Bestselling
Marital Advice Literature".
Katrina Wyss, "Where's Our Safe Space?: Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Women in Domestic Violence Shelters"
Ann Marie Klotz, "Justice, Equity and Inclusion: A Masters Portfolio Focusing on the Legal Advancement of Marginalized Groups."
Kristina Voss, "Weeding the Garden: Innovative Models for Interrogating Power and Hierarchy in Anti-Violence Organizations"
Elizabeth Wahlstrom Helgren, "Indian Women Creating Change: The Potential of
Self-Reliance and Employment through SEWA"
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Events in Chicago!
The Emotional Body, a group show Woman Made Gallery - 685 N. Milwaukee Ave. - Chicago (River West) Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays : 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. (ends June 11) Sundays and Saturdays : 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. (ends June 11)  Gay and Lesbian Pride ParadeHalsted Street and Belmont Avenue - 3190 N. Halsted St. - Chicago The 40th annual Lakeview celebration features floats, bands and politicians. Festivities also include parties and picnics along the lakefront. June 28 : 12 p.m. Chicago Pride FestHalsted Street and Waveland Avenue - 3700 N. Halsted St. - Chicago (Lakeview East) The Northalsted Area Merchants Association hosts the seventh annual GLBT community celebration a day before the Pride Parade. Highlights include live... June 26 : 3 p.m. - 10 p.m. June 27 : 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Chicago Outdoor Film Festival-Grant Park Icon-mmx-pick Chicago Outdoor Film Festival-Grant Park Butler Field, Grant Park - 100 S. Lake Shore Drive - Chicago Grab a blanket, pack a picnic and spend Tuesday nights watching classic movies for free under the stars. Tuesdays : (July 14 through August 25) Green Music FestEckhart Park - 1330 W. Chicago Ave. - Chicago (West Town) The inaugural environmental fest includes eco-conscious goods for sale, food, drink and art vendors, live music and kids' activities. August 15 : 12 p.m. - 11 p.m. August 16 : 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.  Chicago Peace Fest
Lincoln Park - 1700 N. Stockton Drive - Chicago (Lincoln Park) Celebrate the start of summer with live music, drum circles, activist booths and refreshments at this 20th annual affair. June 19 : 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. June 20 : 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. HomolatteBig Chicks - 5024 N. Sheridan Rd. - Chicago (Uptown) Singer/songwriter Scott Free hosts an evening of poetry, spoken word and music by queer artists. Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month 7:30 p.m. Bertha Honore PalmerChicago History Museum - 1601 N. Clark St. - Chicago (Gold Coast) Features clothing and personal effects belonging to the local Victorian-era businesswoman and fashion icon. (May 23 through January 4) Poseidon! An Upside Down Musical
Chopin Theatre - 1543 W. Division St. - Chicago (West Town) Hell in a Handbag Productions remounts their drag musical parody of the classic 1972 disaster film "The Poseidon Adventure." (June 18 through July 26)  Sappho's Salon 1st Anniversary BashSaturday, June 20, 2009 7:30 p.m. Location: Women & Children First Description: Featuring lesbian indie-music legend Gretchen Phillips (formerly of Two Nice Girls, Girls in the Nose, and the Gretchen Phillips Experience). $7-$10 sliding fee includes food and wine. Annual Pride Open Mic
Time: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 7:30 p.m. Location: Women & Children First Annual Pride Open Mic. More details to come soon! The Chicago Feminists Meetup GroupThis group is a group that meets to discuss feminism and equality through books and other activities. We have to be informed leaders on feminism facilitated by activities, literature and discussions in order to change thoughts. We then are more equipped to combat discrimination and other injustices to women. If one segment of society is oppressed, we all are oppressed. http://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Feminists/ Chicago Now Issue Team Meetings: Stop Violence Against Women Team MeetingDate : 26 May 2009 At 7:00pm Description : Join the newest and most grooviest team focused on ending violence against women! Where: Border's at 755 W. North Ave. (Halsted & North) Second floor in the cafe Email teamvaw@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or thoughts. Team leaders Caitlin Costello and Robin Heggum look forward to having you join a group of like minded men and women who are committed to ending violence against women locally and internationally. Give us a try!! | |
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Feel free to submit articles, poetry, art, or anything else you would like to see published in your Women's and Gender Studies Newsletter.
*****TBTN and Creating Solidarity photos taken by Annie Boyle
DePaul Visit Day and This is What a Feminist Looks Like photos taken by Chera Tribble*****
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