EVENTS & PROGRAMS

Wellness Activities | Groups | Film Series

UMBC is a diverse community with diverse needs. As such, faculty, staff, and students need a safe space on campus where resources, information, and programming is available related to gender, equity, wellness, community, and social justice. The Women’s Center provides the UMBC community this sort of safe space and offers events and programming that help the community explore these issues.

Women’s Center events and programming aim to:

• Compliment academic explorations of gender in the classroom
• Support academic explorations of gender by students and staff
• Reinforce and explore the interconnectedness of gender with race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and other forms of diversity
• Offer alternative and/or complimentary resources when on campus resources fall short with respect to accounting for differences in experiences/needs
• Act as a bridge between available resources and those in need when obstacles such as misinformation, lack of familiarity, stigmatism and shame around sensitive issues make seeking support a challenge.
• Mediate and/or facilitate dialogue between community members when gender dynamics play a role in the breakdown of communication.
• Create opportunities for community building through the discovery of commonalities across differences

Events and Activities Include:

Please call us or check our calendar for an up to date schedule of events and programs

Wellness Activities

Yoga: Please check our calender for up-to-date information on days and times

Knitting Circle: Whether you are a beginner or an experienced knitter, join the knitting circle every Friday 1-3pm at the Women’s Center for a community of knitters.

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Groups

Returning Women’s Meetings: The Returning Women's Meeting is a Women's Center program designed to support women returning to college later in life (after the traditional age of 18-22). The meeting is an informal time for returning women to gather, share stories, struggles, and successes. Coming back to college later in life isn't easy. We, at the Women's Center, want to do what we can to support you. Campus resources will also be made available in order to help you reach your goals. Join us Wednesdays at 12pm at the Women's Center. Join us on Facebook

Mothers Meetings: Are you a mom who is also part of the UMBC campus community? Join other UMBC mom’s as they meet at the Women’s Center the second Friday of every month. Students, faculty, and staff are welcomed. For additional information, contact the Women’s Center to be added to the list-serv which serves as an informal, yet informative, networking opportunity for parents on campus.

The Not Oprah's Book Club at UMBC
Join us on Facebook: The Women's Center is sponsoring a book club and we'd like for you to be a part of it! For avid and novice readers alike, we invite you to come and share your thoughts. Feel free to recommend a book. We will consider all genres, both fiction and non-fiction, however they must revolve around women or women's issues. Although the NOBC is sponsored by the Women's Center, our doors are open to the entire UMBC community. More info to come soon!

Between Women
Between Women is a discussion and support group for women who love women, think they might, or support women who do run through the Women's Center and Mosaic Center. This group meets weekly and discusses topics related to sexuality and gives a safe space for women to share their feelings and experiences with other women. For safety and confidentially reasons, this is a closed group. To get more information or to sign up, contact the Women's Center at womens.center@umbc.edu or stop by.

Men's Engagement
The Men's Engagement initiative aims to explore gender norms and variations in order to promote a healthy and multifaceted masculinity throughout UMBC’s campus community. The initiative will create a safe space for consciousness-raising and critical thinking related to gender, masculinity, and social issues. Masculinity will be explored parallel to conversations of race and ethnicity, economic status, sexual orientation, religion, privilege and oppression, and other aspects of individual and cultural identity. Alongside the exploration of masculinity, the Men’s Engagement initiative will mobilize men as allies in gender equity and the prevention of violence against women in order to support positive campus climate around gender. If you are interested in being a part of the Men's Engagement initiative, please contact the Women's Center at womens.center@umbc.edu

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Women’s Center Fall 2012 Film Series

Please visit our myUMBC page for specific show times

Week of September 19th

“Papers: The Movie”
There are approximately 2 million undocumented children who were born outside the U.S. and raised in this country. These are young people who were educated in American schools, hold American values, know only the U.S. as home and who, upon high school graduation, find the door to their future slammed shut. “Papers" is the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. (90 minutes)

Film Discussion: Friday, 9/21, 12pm Facilitated by: Dr. Poggio (MLLI)

Week of September 24th

“Papers: The Movie”
There are approximately 2 million undocumented children who were born outside the U.S. and raised in this country. These are young people who were educated in American schools, hold American values, know only the U.S. as home and who, upon high school graduation, find the door to their future slammed shut. “Papers" is the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. (90 minutes)

Film Discussion: Friday, 9/28, 12pm Facilitated by: Dr. Poggio (MLLI)

Week of October 15th

“Miss Representation”
Miss Representation exposes how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls’ value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality. Mainstream media also contributes to the under-representation of women in influential positions by circulating limited and often disparaging portrayals of women. It’s time to break that cycle of mistruths. (90 minutes)

Film Discussion: Friday, 10/19, 12pm Facilitated by: Dr. Hussey (Political Science Department)

Week of November 5th

“Body and Soul: Diana & Kathy”
Diana has down syndrome and Kathy has cerebral palsy. They both work to break stereotypes about disability. The documentary, directed by Alice Elliot, shows Diana as a capable personal assistant to Kathy who has become non-verbal due to her illness. Diana and Kathy break the rules, escape the system, and model a grand experiment in independent living. The two are inspiring in their lobbying effort for equal rights for those disabilities. (40 minutes)

Film Discussion: Friday, 10/19, 12pm Facilitated by: TBA

Week of December 3rd

“Tough Guise ”
Looks systematically at the relationship between the images of popular culture and the social construction of masculine identities in the U.S. in the late 20th century. In this innovative and wide-ranging analysis, Jackson Katz argues that there is a crisis in masculinity and that some of the guises offered to men as a solution (rugged individualism, violence) come loaded with attendant dangers to women, as well as other men. (87 minutes)

Film Discussion: Friday, 12/7 12pm Facilitated by: TBA

Awareness & Education

Women’s History Month Events: All of March Please see our MyUMBC page to learn more about March events

Sexual Assault Awareness Month: All of April Please see our MyUMBC page to learn more about April events

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: All of October

Please see our MyUMBC page to learn more about March events

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