News Releases

NJCU to Celebrate ‘Women’s History Month’ with Free Campus Programs

New Jersey City University will hold a free series of campus events in recognition of “Women’s History Month” that will include programs ranging from a “Womenswork Film Festival” to a performance about reproductive rights pioneer Margaret Sanger. “Women’s History Month” 2008 is based on the theme, “Women’s Art: Women’s Vision.” The community is welcome.

Programs will be held in NJCU’s Hepburn Hall and Michael Gilligan Student Union, 2039 Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City and in the University’s Visual Arts Building, 100 Culver Avenue in Jersey City.

For further information call Dr. Catherine Raissiguier, director of NJCU’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program and coordinator of the “Women’s History Month” celebration, at (201)200-3551.

Women’s History Month programs will include:
Tuesday, March 4
“Women’s History Month” will open with “Home Girls Make Some Noise,” a “Women Speak Out” program that will feature keynote speaker Rachel Raimist, an acclaimed hip hop activist, scholar, mother, and director of “Nobody Knows My Name.” The program, which will explore hip hop as a cultural space for women to speak out, will be held 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

Wednesday, March 5
“Constructing Memory: Women’s Stories,” a student panel facilitated by Dr. Edvige Giunta, an NJCU associate professor of English, will be held 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

An opening reception for “Sustaining Vision: A Tribute to Arlene Raven,” a multi-media exhibit by eight women artists that celebrates the life and legacy of the late art critic, will be held 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery (Room 323) of Hepburn Hall. Gallery hours for the exhibit, which is part of the national initiative, The Feminist Art Project, and will be shown through Wednesday, April 16, are 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and by appointment. Curatorial consultant for the exhibit is Anne Swartz.

An opening reception for “Mother Cuts: Experiments in Film and Video,” an exhibit by four artists curated by Siona Wilson, will be held 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Visual Arts Gallery. The exhibit, which is part of the national initiative, The Feminist Art Project, will be shown through Friday, April 11. Gallery hours for the exhibit are 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and by appointment.

Thursday, March 6
A “Womenswork Film Festival,” featuring shorts produced and directed by the Womenswork Media Collective, a group of media artists based in Jersey City and involving members of the NJCU community, and a question-and-answer session, will be held 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

Monday, March 17
Dr. Jason D. Martinek, an NJCU adjunct instructor of history who studies the history and the role of the book as well as reading and literacy in America, will speak on “The Amazons of Allegheny, The Mill Girls of Pittsburgh, PA,” 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., in room 129 of the Michael Gilligan Student Union.

Tuesday, March 18
Author Marta Aponte Alsina will read excerpts from her book, Sexto Sueno (Sixth Dream), 12:00 –2:00 p.m., in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

An “Artists Panel” will discuss “Sustaining Vision: A Tribute to Arlene Raven,” a multi-media exhibit featured in NJCU’s Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery that celebrates the life and legacy of the late art critic. The program will be held 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., in room 202 of Hepburn Hall. A reception will follow in the Gallery.

Wednesday, March 19
“U.S. Latina Writers,” a program that will feature readings by Sonia Riva Valdes, Margarita Drago, Paquita Suarez Coalla, and Jacqueline Herranz-Brooks, will be held 4:00 – 6:30 p.m., in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

“From Attitude to Activism: Celebrating Women Leaders,” a group dialogue facilitated by Renata Moreira, NJCU assistant director of campus life, will feature guests from the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Lambda Tau Omega, Inc., _gaia collective of women artists, and Granny Peace Brigade. The program, which will explore women’s involvement social justice movements and celebrate women’s contributions regionally, nationally, and internationally, will be held 7:00 – 9:30 p.m., in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

Monday, March 24
A “Queer Films and Activists Panel” will feature shorts followed by a panel presentation facilitated by Dr. Raissiguier and featuring guests from Jersey City Gay and Lesbian Outreach, Liberation in Truth, and Hudson Pride Connections. The program will be held 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. in room 202 of Hepburn Hall.

Monday, March 31
“This I Believe,” an experimental performance that explores Margaret Sanger’s history as a reproductive rights pioneer created by Michael Curtin, Liz Sweeney, and Alexia Vernon, directed by Alexia Vernon, and featuring Mr. Curtin and Ms. Sweeney, will close NJCU’s celebration of “Women’s History Month.” The closing program will be held 7:00 – 9:30 p.m., in the Michael Gilligan Student Union Theatre.

News releases by Ellen Wayman-Gordon, and Kelly Resch, Office of Public Information.