Wo/Men’s Conference 2013

 Take Action: Reshape Your World

8:30 Registration & Coffee

9:15 Opening Plenary Session
TAKE ACTION: RESHAPE YOUR WORLD
Davey ‘D’ Cook, Kate Raphael, Betty Reid Soskin

Join Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest park ranger in the United States who works fulltime at the National Rosie the Riveter Park at the age of 91, Davey ‘D’ Cook, one of the founding members of the popular syndicated program Hard Knock Radio and Kate Raphael, a peace and lgbtquia rights activist, who also serves a producer of the weekly radio show ‘The Women’s Magazine’ on KPFA as you explore how to take action and reshape your world. Collectively Betty,  Davey ‘D,’ and Kate are rewriting the narrative of history and daily life to include the voices and stories of people from marginalized communities whose stories and lives might otherwise not be reported on. 

10:45-12:15 Breakout Session #1

LEADING FROM WITHIN: RECLAIMING YOUR BODY, YOUR SPACE & YOUR UNIQUE LEADERSHIP STYLE
Lafayette Room

Moving through Change    
Maura Wolf, Saint Mary’s College of California’s Leadership Center

In this workshop we will move through a series of somatic techniques and exercises that are yoga and dance based. We use this movement as a way to look at how we respond and relate to social change issues we care about. We will begin incorporate the following themes: Getting Grounded in the Body; Engaging with Issues; Engaging with Others; and Finding a Place of Deep Rest.

Reclaiming our bodies: Reclaiming our space.
Hannah Friedman and Meghan Toomey, SMC Body Positive Facilitators

Women are often taught to be ashamed of their bodies and the way that they look. Rather than put our energies into our passions, we are told to lose more weight or undergo dangerous cosmetic surgeries. Instead of perpetuating this concept, we challenge women to redirect their efforts to progress change and advocate what they are passionate about. Through this workshop, we will enter a dialogue that helps to unveil what it is that women need to advocate for, and how to raise their voices and use their bodies to demand change.

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BECAUSE YOU’RE WORTH IT!
Clayes Lounge

Walk the Talk: Holding Ourselves and Peers Accountable
Michelle Dimmett & Sarah Crass, Saint Mary’s College of California

Whether you are a community organizer, a student leader or a corporate professional, accountability is an essential characteristic. This workshop will focus on factors influencing leadership commitment decisions, how values can impact such responsibilities, and ways to find balance in managing multiple roles. Through small group discussions, case studies, and reflective activities participants will learn more about accountability on both an individual and group level.

WAGE (Women are Getting Even)

Brittany Boynton and Victoria Davis, Saint Mary’s College of California

Wage equity is sometimes forgotten about when thinking about social justice. Today women earn about 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn for doing the same job. How can we stop selling ourselves short? The WAGE Negotiation Workshop will provide women (and men) with the knowledge and skills to successfully negotiate your professional salary and benefit package.

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INSPIRING WOMEN TO BECOME SOCIAL INNOVATORS  

Brenda Hepler  Director of The TassaTag Project for ECPAT USA (Ending Child Prostitution and Trafficking)
Ruth  Balsdon  Founder and President of  Earth Assistance Project-USA                                                                   

In this interactive workshop, you will hear stories from two women about what inspired them and how they developed their own social enterprises. From these stories, participants will learn how to act on their own inspirations, discover resources available to them, and create an outline for their own potential project.

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MEN WHO ARE STEPPING IT UP
Moraga Room

Fatherhood: Dads who are stepping up             
Panel of ‘hands-on’ Dads

What does it mean for men to come to the forefront and take a more active role in parenting? What does it look like when men take paternity leave to spend more time bonding with children, when they take on a role as a stay at home parent or when they simply commit to being ‘hands-on.’ These daddies will share stories of how coming to the forefront with childcare and household duties can be an empowering experience for men, their children and their significant others.

How Men can be Effective Allies to Women
Michael Urbina, Student at Saint Mary’s College of California

What does it mean to be a “real” man in today’s society? What is the stake of men and ending violence against women? How can men be allies to women? In this workshop, we will critically examine these questions as we deconstruct stereotypes and discuss how men can challenge the bystander mentality.  

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LUNCH & ‘ACT LIKE YOU MEAN IT’DISCUSSION
12:15-1:15
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1:15-2:45 Breakout Session #2

HOW TO BE REVOLUTIONARY--FROM THE DREAM ACT TO THE WORKPLACE TO THE CHURCH
Lafayette Room

Gender and Power in the Church and in Society
Minister Vickia Brinkley, Saint Mary's College Human Resources

This workshop will discuss the power and glory of God’s reign invested in the faith of the marginalized women, as opposed to those who already have social, sexual, political, or religious power, as well as riches and entitlements. We will examine the ways in which fundamentalist theology informs the role of women in the church and in society and how this thinking continues to perpetuate gender discrimination and oppression. The goal of this workshop is to empower women who have been silenced by the patriarchy of the dominant society and the church. In this program we will share stories of courage and commitment on behalf of “the least of these.”

Activism & the Dream Act  
Lluvia de Milagros Carrasco, Saint Mary’s College of California Student

The goals of this workshop are to bring awareness to the issue on the Dream Act and fellow undocumented youth. Not only will the session bring awareness to the discrepancies and social problems that arise within the United States on treatment, educational opportunities as well as ethical injustices, it will also bring awareness to how it has transformed from a micro to a macro level. Most importantly, the session will demonstrate how everyone is inadvertently affected by immigration injustices and will show you what you can do to take action.

Raising Voices to Create Change in the Workplace                                                       
Karen Pedraza, Saint Mary’s College of California Student

Workers will share their stories about how they made their job a good job by raising their voice against low pay, sexual harassment, working conditions, and others. We will have small group dialogues and a lot of audience participation.
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CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF CONSENT & RESPECT
Clayes Lounge

Sex, Ethics, and Communication: A Humanistic Approach
Valerie Peterson: Prof. of Communication, Grand Valley State University

This presentation/workshop will promote thoughtful consideration of sex and sexuality.  Specific topics discussed will include vulnerability, humane interpersonal interaction, sexual ethics and how they relate to each other, and how public talk about sex and sexuality (metaphors and narratives) shape our understandings and actions.  Ideas for the presentation/workshop will be drawn from Sex, Ethics, and Communication: A Humanistic Approach to Conversations on Intimacy (Cognella Academic Press, 2013).

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TELL YOUR STORY: CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Lafayette Room

Transformation through Storytelling (60 minutes)
Raina Leon, Saint Mary’s College of California Faculty

Participants will be able to use educational technology to engage in an abbreviated digital storytelling workshop. Participants will learn about the power of narrative to inspire others to become mobilized in transformation. They will identify a key problem, write a short first-person narrative that has affected their lives, share these stories within a story circle, and offer and receive critique on stories.  Participants will then create a first draft of a digital story that could be used to foster conversations within their communities and then be challenged to think about facilitating dialogue and creating action plans to make change.

Fairytale Remix (30 minutes)
Irene Umipig, Saint Mary's College of California Health and Wellness Center

This program will take a closer look at the fairy tale stories that many girls have become accustomed to growing up with. Spend some time exploring the themes that are present in the character roles, the plots, and the common endings found in each of these fairy tales. Learn how these stories may distort reality and how you can be empowered to take control of your own storyline.

3:00-4:30 Breakout Session #3

HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR COMMUNITY INTO A SAFE ZONE.
Clayes Lounge

Social Justice Dialoguing: Let’s talk about Change (30 minutes)
Gabriela Fernandez, Saint Mary’s College of California & Ethnic Studies Dialogue Students

This session will give participants the tools to engage in meaningful dialogue and some tools for replacing the bystander mentality with an ally mentality. It will provide space for participants to examine privilege and marginalized aspects of identities. The workshop will empower participants to serve as allies to each other while advocating for change.

How to Make your Community into a Safe Space (60 minutes)
Gillian Cutshaw & Travis Becker, Saint Mary’s College of California

This workshop will offer participants the opportunity to expand their understanding of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Ally (LGBTQQIAA) communities. Our goal is to increase awareness and provide tangible ways that we can create safer spaces for all people. The interactive training will include a discussion of vocabulary, experiences of LGBTQIA students at SMC and practical ways to be an ally. The training will also provide an opportunity to engage in a dialogue about what a Safe Zone feels like and how to live out SMC's Lasallian mission regarding respect and inclusivity for all people.
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GRASSROOTS EMPOWERMENT--RECLAIMING YOUR STRUGGLE & MOVING FORWARD
Lafayette Room

The Voices of Change in a Struggling Community Julia Barboza, Bay Area Hunter’s Point Foundation

Bayview Hunters Point Foundation is a youth Services organization that has several programs that aim to address substance abuse and related issues that youth in the Bayview Hunter’s Point and San Francisco Bay Area face. This is accomplished through five programs including: Youth Moving Forward, the Evening Reporting Center, the Strengthening Families Program, ROSIE and Youth Cleanup Project. This session will include a panel of staff and youth enrolled in the program who will share their experiences, struggles and triumphs and will inspire you with their stories.

Love is Louder
PATCH (Peer Activism Towards Campus Health)
Love is Louder was started by The Jed Foundation, MTV and Brittany Snow to support anyone feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone.  Saint Mary's College has embraced Love is Louder as a way to address issues like bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, loneliness and depression.  A discussion will take place to address the challenges that students face when seeking out help and to also take a closer look at the different ways we can empower our community and sustain the Love Is Louder efforts.

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INSPIRING CHANGE WITH WHAT YOU EAT--THE LINK BETWEEN CLIMATE, FOOD, ANIMAL RIGHTS & GENDER EQUITY
Orinda Room

Challenging the Factory Farming Epidemic
Katie Cantrell, Executive Director of Factory Farming Awareness Coalition

What's the unifying link between breast cancer, climate change, and environmental racism? In this workshop, you'll learn about the multifaceted impacts of industrial animal agriculture on our bodies, our communities, and our world, and discuss actions we can take as consumers and as activists.

Inspiring Change with Food Choices: The Veggie-Feminism Correlation
Maggie Powers and Lillie Humphrey, Saint Mary's College students

This session will explore the connections between meat eating and patriarchy, vegetarianism and feminism. The goals of this session are to raise awareness about animal rights from a feminist perspective, the effectiveness of purchasing power in relation to food, and simple steps to support both women and animal rights.
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4:30-5:15 “One Billion Rising” Tribute & Reception
(Refreshments sponsored by SEBA)

*The views of the speakers and presenters do not necessarily represent the views of Saint Mary’s College of California.