Ramapo’s Women’s Center hosted its Women’s Herstory Month Garden Party on Thursday, March 28, the final and closing event for the college’s Women’s Herstory Month celebrations.
Students and faculty gathered in an elegantly decorated Friends Hall to participate in the momentous event. The event offered an array of tea desserts, finger sandwiches, wraps, specialty cakes, and of course, tea to fit the vintage tea party theme.
Assistant Director for Student Involvement Amanda Riehl started the event by summarizing Herstory Month collectively as well as showcasing the efforts made as a campus community. Riehl highlighted some of the important events that were honored throughout the month, like “The Vagina Monologues,” Fem in STEM Collective, International Women’s Day and many more. After highlighting some of the important events, Riehl welcomed assistant professor of psychology Maya Poran to the stage.
Poran, who was a graduate of Ramapo College 35 years ago, has used her experience to boost efforts now for uplifting women on campus. Poran shared her experience at Ramapo and what we must do as women here on campus and to make ourselves visible. “Invisibility,” as she says, is one thing that women tend to struggle most with in our society, which is often seen as a lack of experience that can be rectified.
“We are working towards a more inclusive and just world and that, to me, is beautiful,” she said.
Poran highlighted that her efforts, along with the college’s, seem to be growing every year and will continue to do so. Poran ended her speech by encouraging women to take initiative and make a difference in the world.
To close out the event, President Cindy Jebb took the stage to share some words about Women’s Herstory Month and referenced Poran’s teachings of visibility.
“We must look to support ourselves and to push back in the eyes of invisibility,” Jebb said.
Jebb finished her speech by shouting out female students and staff who inspire her and who have contributed to her success in her career. Jebb mentioned her mother and Ruth Bader Ginsburg as role models in her life.
“I couldn’t have gotten where I am today without the support and guidance that I have received,” she said.
After the speeches, students and staff were offered an opportunity to view the slide presentation. Featured on the screen were an array of powerful women who have made a difference in our world. In addition to the presentation, small booklets of the Women’s Center magazine containing women from the presentation were placed on every table.
Even though Women’s Herstory Month has come to an end, Ramapo’s campus will continue to make strides towards changing how the world sees women and gain support.
rbleich@ramapo.edu
Featured photo by Rebecca Bleich
