Amplifying Community Engagement
Women’s Week Demonstrates the Power of the Personal
In a dozen Women’s Week, campus-wide events, public policies were connected to personal experiences.
David Hawkins-Jacinto • March 9, 2023
On Monday, February 27, Women’s Week 2023 kicked off with “Climate Change: Science and Art as Action.” Professor of Geology and Geophysics, Dr. Brenda Bowen, who serves as the director of the Global Change & Sustainability Center, headed up a panel to discuss the intersections between eco activism and artmaking. Filmmakers, Sonya and Miriam Albert Sobrino of the Department of Film and Media Arts at the University of Utah joined the panel to discuss how they both incorporate environmental concern in their films and teaching, using imaginative strategies to reduce waste in the production process.
On Wednesday, the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the University of Utah School of Medicine along with the Black Physicians of Utah hosted a panel and film screening of the documentary film, “Aftershock.” Panelists discussed the higher rate of maternal fatality for pregnant Black women in the US and the many ways that the country’s health care system has failed the Black community.
On Thursday, the entire campus—including members of the planning committee, sponsors, participants, and guests were invited to attend a special Women’s Week social. In her remarks, Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Mary Ann Villarreal acknowledged the challenges of the past year and how those trials have required us to call on strength we might not have known we had. “But this week has demonstrated the importance of women’s voices—and the power of our collective action to affect change,” she said.
Women’s Week 2023 was one of the largest and best-attended in university history. From events on the caregiving economy, to the crown act and reproductive health, to an inspirational talk by keynote speaker, Feminista Jones—Women’s Week 2023 offered something for everyone. To catch up on anything you missed, visit the Women’s Week website or enjoy the event playlist below.
Activism Experiences ICYMI Identity Policies Representation Women's Week