"Writing Women Back into History" during National Women's History Month

Posted: Mar 2, 2010

KANEOHE– Where are the women? The theme for National Women’s History Month this year is “Writing Women Back into History.”

 

In Windward Community College’s sixth year of hosting women speakers in celebration of National Women’s History Month, the focus will be on women experts in their field presented by experts in their field – women faculty at WCC.

 

Women’s History Month event coordinator Kathleen French explained, "When I was an undergrad, I went to a college that celebrated Women's History Month each year. Going to the events made me feel valued, like my experiences mattered. I want to offer those same experiences to our students, which is why I started the Women's History Month Program at WCC in 2005."

 

Audiences are invited to participate in discussions with the distinguished speakers. All events are FREE, open to the public and located at Windward Community College in Hale ‘Akoakoa 105 and Hale Kuhina 115, located at 45-720 Kea‘ahala Rd., in Kane‘ohe.

 

March Women’s History Month speakers at WCC include:

 

Leticia Colmenares, PhD, WCC professor of chemistry

Monday, March 8, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Hale ‘Ākoakoa 105

Colmenares will highlight some of women's accomplishments in chemistry and the lingering issues and challenges that they continue to face.

 

Malia Lau Kong, WCC instructor of history

Tuesday, March 9, 12:40-1:20 p.m.

Hale ‘Ākoakoa 105

Extraordinary women in pre-modern world history (pre-1500 CE) who defied traditional social boundaries to speak their mind, lead troops into battle, and govern whole societies.

 

Sarah Hadmack, WCC instructor of religion

Wednesday, March 10, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Hale ‘Ākoakoa 105

Hadmack will speak about Alexandra David-Neel, the first foreign woman to enter the once forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet.

 

Ann Lemke, WCC disability/admissions counselor; Early Admit and Running Start counselor

Thursday, March 11, 12:40-1:20 p.m.

Hale ‘Ākoakoa 105

Lemke will take you on her unique journey through the landscape of disability culture.

 

P. Jayne Bopp, WCC Office of University Partners coordinator and sociology lecturer

Tuesday, March 16, 12:40-1:20 p.m.

Hale Kuhina 115

Bopp will offer a critique of feminism itself and talk about how feminism in the U.S. and how it was started by white, middle/upper class, educated, heterosexual women. And how that given this history, it has excluded large numbers of women in its fight for “equality.”

 

Nancy Alima Ali, WCC Imaginarium manager and lecturer in archaeoastronomy

Thursday, March 18, 12:40-1:20 p.m.

Hale Kuhina 115

Alima Ali will speak about Anna Sofaer and Linda Schele, two women who followed their passions and in doing so made significant contributions to the field of archaeoastronomy.

 

Women’s History Month events are sponsored by the Faculty Staff Development Committee. For more information, contact Kathleen French at 236-9223 or at kfrench@hawaii.edu.