This month, the Women’s Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary with events and educational exhibitions during Women’s Herstory Month.
For the first week in March, the windows in the Fishbowl were decorated with photos, drawings and notes, detailing the history of the Women’s Center on campus.
“One of my main roles in the Center was my work in reviving the archival history of the Center,” said the Student Office Manager and Student Women’s Outreach Coordinator at the Women’s Center, Cookie Wahba.
The research that went into crafting the window design was vital in understanding how the Women’s Center developed into what it is today.
“This work was necessary for preserving much of the forgotten programming and people who made this Center what it is, and allowing students today and in the future access to this history,” said Wahba.
The Women’s Center was founded in 1974 with goals to facilitate a safe and welcoming environment for all. The website states that they aim to dismantle oppression from a feminist perspective, advocate for a fair and just on-campus environment, create a space where everyone feels safe and valued, and promote the appreciation of women’s, gender and multicultural studies.
“I believe it is essential to celebrate women’s milestones here at Ramapo, as historically, women’s achievements have often been overlooked or undervalued,” said social work major Arianna Payan, a Bachelor of Social Work intern at the Women’s Center. “Recognizing these milestones on campus can foster a stronger sense of unity among women, while also providing an opportunity for individuals of all gender identities to honor the remarkable women in their lives.”
All month, the Women’s Center will be hosting events for Women’s Herstory Month and to celebrate 50 years of operations on Ramapo campus. Some of these events include the Hidden Gems Pop-up Shop and they co-hosted Sex Toy Bingo with the College Programming Board for the Center of Health and Counseling Services.
At the Women’s Herstory Month Proclamation on March 3, members of the Ramapo community spoke about the importance of Women’s History Month as a time to honor the achievements of women from all backgrounds.
Wahba states that over the next few decades she aspires to see the Women’s Center create a non-stigma, gender diverse campus.
At the end of the month the Women’s Center will be hosting Women’s Herstory Month Closing Luncheon at 1 p.m. in Friends Hall as their final birthday celebration of the year.
“I hope that in the next 50 years, women can express their personal freedoms openly and fearlessly, encouraged to have both a voice and a seat at the table,” said Payan.
jhammer@ramapo.edu
Featured photo by Jordyn Baham
