Placed adjacent to Centennial Hall, the Women’s Plaza of Honor stands as a testament to the lives and achievements of women not only in Arizona, but around the world. Like the women whose names will be forever etched in stone, there are many organizations at the UA that seek to advance the cause of women’s rights.
One of these organizations on campus is the Women’s Resource Center. The WRC’s mission is “to serve as a hub for programming, collaborations and advocacy on issues of gender equity, feminism and masculinity.”
“We see ourselves as enabling students to be leaders, activists and engaged citizens,” said Krista Millay, program director of the WRC.
Millay said the WRC gives a home to feminist-minded students who have a passion for women’s rights issues.
According to Millay, one of the most important developments over the past few years at the WRC is that they are having “conversations about the issues that matter. There’s a center, staff, students and a means to have these important conversations.”
Millay said that with the WRC’s 37 interns, through word-of-mouth and positive messaging, real change can occur on campus. It’s those conversations that drive change.
The WRC also has three separate internship programs focusing on different areas of women’s rights and activism.
One of these internship programs is FORCE, or Feminists Organized to Resist, Create, Change and Empower. FORCE is directly involved with the WRC as an opportunity for feminists who are looking to make a change within the UA community and spark a conversation.
Kassandra Manriquez, a senior studying journalism and women’s studies and an intern for FORCE, said “the FORCE interns work together to create programing and are always thinking of new ideas for future programs.”
As an example, Manriquez cited FORCE’s monthly “Censored Series,” where the club discusses taboo topics from a feminist perspective.
According to Manriquez, “all you need to do in order to become involved with FORCE is simply show up to our events. The goal is to make everyone feel welcome and supported.”
The overarching theme of the WRC, FORCE and other feminist organizations on campus is inclusion and acceptance. According to Millay, they provide a home to those who feel passionately about women’s issues.
The WRC is located on the fourth floor of the Student Union Memorial Center in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. For more information about the WRC, visit wrc.arizona.edu.
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