Hola, Jessica aquí!

Hi my name is Jessica Whitson and I'm one of the new SECS interns at the WRC. I'm a junior currently majoring in Physiology with a minor in Chemistry and Spanish. I say currently because I think that's changing at the end of this semester. I'm going to major in Spanish! I have a passion for several things in life: Mexican food, sex education, grammar and spelling, Myers Brigg Type Indicator (ENFP for those of you who know what I'm talking about), the Beatles, scrapbooking, equal rights for all, and Facebook (not necessarily in that order). I'm a little crazy, very outgoing and hopefully if you see me around you'll say hi. I love meeting new people. I currently work for the Walt Disney Company out of their Florida location and yes, I am that crazy Disney girl. But here in Arizona, I work as an in-home senior caregiver.

This semester I'm really looking forward to getting started with things in our Sex Ed College Style program. I'm hoping to make a lasting impression with those students that we're able to speak to. I'm also looking forward to learning more about who I am, making some awesome friends and lasting connections with everyone.

Hope to see you around!

Press for WRC

The Women's Resource Center has been getting some amazing press! Here are some snipets:

"After years working on an under-funded budget and with limited space, the UA Women's Resource Center is only a university search away from finally having a director to call its own. The Student Services Advisory Board approved funding the WRC $65,000 per year over two years to find a full-time director."

Here is the full article: "Board allocates $1.45M in Fees"

We have finally accomplished a great thing, and will now have funding for a full-time paid director for the next two years! For any questions about the directorship please call the WRC at 520-621-3919, or email Malia Uhatafe at maliau@email.arizona.edu.

There was also an article about the Take Back The Night event: "March against violence"

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the march and helped to prepare everything!

HIV Testing!!!

The Women's Resource Center in collaboration with Pima County Health Department, Campus Health, Student Health Advisory Committee, and Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation provided free HIV Testing on Campus today for the second time this school year!

The testing was an extreme success. 56 people were tested, and 20 were wait-listed. This is more than double the last testing.

The WRC was also featured in an article today in the Wildcat.

This was a huge success, and here is to hoping it continues on in the future!

Women's Herstory Month Continues!

UA News has really done a number on the amount of coverage they are giving to the Women's Resource Center, and we just want to say thank you!

The Women's Resource Center kicked off Women's Herstory Month on Tuesday morning! A list of events can be found through UA News here.

As part of Women's Herstory Month, the WRC will also be hosting the National Organization of Women's State Conference this weekend on campus! Information for the NOW Conference was sent out by UA News. For additional information, and to sign up for the NOW Conference, please email Malia Uhatafe at maliau@email.arizona.edu!

Please come out and help us celebrate Women's Herstory Month, brought to you by:

Your Women's Resource Center!

Women's Herstory Month Kick-Off!

This morning was the Women's Herstory Month Kick-Off event. and The WRC received front page press for our involvement with the planning of Women's Herstory Month.

Please check out the Article:

"Women aim to re-write 'his story'"

And also be sure to come to our other events throughout the wonderful month of March in celebration of Women!




For upcoming events, please visit the Women's Resource Center website!

Educating Through Film

The Women's Resource Center's documentary film series was highlighted last week as part of the educational programming that is offered for free in collaboration with Gallagher Theater.

The article touches on the amount of programming that is now available from such collaborations.

Please take a look at the full article:

"Gallagher seeks to teach, entertain with films"

For a full list of the upcoming Women's Resource Center films please check-out the WRC website!

The Audacity of Feminism Conference!

Hello all!

The Women's Resource Center brings you another wonderful opportunity to gather with your feminist peers by bringing you "The Audacity of Feminism Conference"!

"The Audacity of Feminism"
Arizona NOW State Conference

March 6 & 7, 2009
University of Arizona

Welcome Reception
Date: Friday, March 6, 2009
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Women's Plaza of Honor, University of Arizona

At this meet-and-greet social, Kim Gandy will offer the conference's opening
words, Leila Lopez will provide music, and appetizers and refreshments will be
served.

Arizona NOW Conference
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2009
Time: 8am-5pm
Location: Women's Studies Building, 925 N. Tyndall Ave

This year's conference will address a variety of contemporary feminist concerns
including: Border Issues, Poverty and Homelessness, Women and Disability,
Lesbian/LBTQ Rights, Campus Activism, the Future of Reproductive Rights in
Arizona, Women in Prisons, 3rd Wave Feminism and National NOW Perspectives.
Lunch will be held at the Arizona Historical Society with a keynote address by
Kim Gandy, National NOW President.

Cost is: $50 for community members, $25 for students and low-income individuals. Scholarships are available and no one will be turned away because of an inability to cover these costs.

For more information and to register, please contact: Paula Bachman-Williams at
bachmanwms@gmail.com or at 247-7377.

Hosted by the University of Arizona Women's Resource Center and the Tucson
Chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Fighting Back On The UA

The Wildcat had another article today that showcased the women's resource center's collaboration with R.A.D. for Self Defense Classes!!!

The next classes will be taking place on February 21 and 22 from 10am to 5pm. 

A $20 deposit, which is refundable upon completion, is required. If you are interested please contact the Women's Resource Center:

520-621-3919

or

maliau@email.arizona.edu

Please also check out the article:

"Women learn to fight back"

Dr. LaFayette review, and a Poll!

First a poll on the WRC (Women's Resource Center) that was in today's Wildcat!

Would you support a student fee to pay for a full time WRC faculty director?

There are a few problems with this question though, and that's the fact that it is a bit misleading. The WRC is petitioning the Fee Allocation Board for the funds for a new director. That is the board that disperses the student fee that is paid at the beginning of each semester. A new fee wouldn't need to be assessed. Also the poll doesn't say what the WRC stands for, and often the Women's Resource Center is referred to by its full name.

That aside, there was a rather delightful article in the paper about the Dr. LaFayette conference that the Women's Resource Center co-sponsored to have on the University of Arizona campus!

"Activist discusses pacifism"

More Press for the Director Campaign!!!

The WRC is back in the news today with an article about the Director Campaign, brought about by the demonstration on the University Mall yesterday by the "Justice For All" pro-life group.

Please Check out the article and leave your thoughts:

"Women's Resource Center seeks funding, director"

SECS Day: Condoms 101!!!!

Ever wondered about the myths and the facts regarding sexual health? Do you LOVE SEX but want to avoid being a negative statistic? Curious about the different kinds of protection available?

If you answered yes, then you need SexEd, College Style (SECS) Day: Condoms 101!

From Lambskin to Latex, the Women's Resource Center will discuss all types for SECS Day: Condoms 101! The Women's Resource Center's Health and Sexuality Interns will provide their fantastic, comprehensive sexual health programming to participants in SECS Day. The best part about the Women's Resource Center's Sex Ed: It's FOR college students, BY college students!

The Sex Ed College Style training will address: education on the sexual spectrum, consent and sexual responsibility, how to properly use a fe/male condom and dental dam, an in-depth look at male and female condom brands, types and styles. and how to reduce your risks of getting or passing on an STI.

Even if you already know the facts, please come and receive FREE food, FREE condoms, FREE lubricant, FREE education and a question and answer session!

SECS day is FREE and open to everyone.

DATE: Thursday, February 12

TIME: 6:00pm - 7:30pm

LOCATION: Tucson Room, Student Union Memorial Center

Whether you want to learn what it takes to be a sex educator or learn what you didn't learn in high school, come join us on SECS Day: Condoms 101!

For more information please contact the Women's Resource Center's Health & Sexuality Intern: Padilla at alydilla@email.arizona.edu or by phone (520) 390-5565 or call the WRC office at 621-3919

For more information on our FREE: Film Series, Self Defense Classes, SexEd College Style or Safewalk program please go to our website at http://wrc.asua.arizona.edu

More Dr. LaFayette Press!

Please join us today at 7pm for the keynote speech by Dr. LaFayette! It is free and open to the public!

Also please check out the press in the Daily Wildcat today: "Civil Rights activist talk launches months events"

Black History Month Begins Today!!!

The beginning of Black History Month events on campus starts today!!! The Women's Resource Center is very excited for the month and all the opportunities that are available to immerse ourselves in new experiences.

Please come to some of the events and join your fellow UA students in celebrating Black History Month!!

A list of events can be found here: "Black History Month Events Get Kicked Off at the UA"

Dr. Lafayette To Give Keynote Speech!

That's right, Dr. LaFayette will be coming to the University of Arizona campus to be giving a keynote address to kick-off Black History Month.

The address will be just before the Non-Violence Leadership Conference that Dr. LaFayette will be presenting.

The story is in UANews today "Civil Rights Advocate Giving Black History Month Keynote Address"

And also on the front page of the Tucson Weekly "Civil rights pioneer LaFayette to speak at Tucson NAACP event"

For More information about the Non-Violence Leadership Conference, please visit the Women's Resource Center website at wrc.asua.arizona.edu.

New Event Pictures!!!

The WRC has been busy so far this semester, and new photos of the events "The Education of Shelby Knox" and the "Roe v. Wade Happy Hour" have been uploaded to the facebook and myspace.

If you don't have a facebook or myspace, here are some of the photos that were taken!

Semona Igama

Semona Igama is currently a junior majoring in Microbiology at the University of Arizona. She will be closely working with committees such as sex ed., self defense, and safe walk. Semona recently transfered from Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands, which is a beautiful island in the Pacific. Google it! There she was apart of a teen program called Teen Talk, which was sponsored by the local Public School System. The program aimed to educate students in high school as well as in junior high to deal with topics such as sex/health education, violence and suicide prevention, and among other teen issues, LGBTQ awareness. She is excited to take on the next level of sex/health education by becoming an active member of the Women's Resource Center, and sharing what she has learned back home while learning something new. She enjoys being apart of an energetic group who work hard, laugh out loud, and embrace women strength.

Xavier P.

What's up? I'm Xavier, and this semester I joined the WRC for the very first time, so like anything new to anybody, I am very excited. I don't have a picture to post in here, and I don't feel like writing a thousand words (as these would most likely be nonsensical), yet here is what you need to know about me: I don't much care about my future plans right now, so instead of changing the future I seek to change the present. This is why I joined the WRC. I have a couple of majors. And I have a job. But to me those things are only a distant second and third to finding tacit adventures waiting on the road. And I hope this internship will be one.

Becky - Again!

Hello! My name is Becky Butler and this semester I will be coordinating Self Defense classes - get excited! I am a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in whatever I feel like at the moment. Currently, I am on a quest to study dolphin cognition and hopefully my dream will come to fruition this summer courtesy of the United States Navy. I like to meet new people, go caving and generally have spontaneous adventures.

Fun Fact: I box! And my car is named Gilderoy after Lockhart in the Harry Potter series.

Stephanie Sebille

Stephanie is currently a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. She is very excited about finishing college in August. She hopes to eventually earn her PhD and become a Psychology professor. She is an intern with the WRC Safe Walk and she helps with the online calendar. Stephanie hopes to continue and expand the Safe Walk program and hopefully educate students about the program so that it may be utilized by all the students who need it. She also plans on helping the WRC with its goal of obtaining a paid director. She spends her free time ballroom dancing and working various odd jobs.

Feb 25, V-Day Film

"What I Want My Words To Do To You" offers an unprecedented look into the minds and hearts of the women inmates of New York's Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. The film goes inside a writing workshop led by playwright and activist Eve Ensler, consisting of 15 women, most of whom were convicted of murder. Through a series of exercises and discussions, the women delve into their pasts and explore the nature of their crimes and the extent of their own culpability.

The Women’s Resource Center in collaboration with the Vagina Warriors presents "What I Want My Words To Do To You." The film documents both the wrenching personal journeys undertaken by female inmates of a high security prison in New York. Through a series of exercises and discussions with Vagina Monologues creator, Eve Ensler, the women find the words that tell their own stories, and the power of those words to move the outside world.

Please come join us for this film in a (late) celebration of Valentine's Day!

Spring 2009 Film Series!!!

The following are small blurbs about the Spring 2009 Film Series brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Women's Resource Center:

Crazy Love
Feb 4, 7pm
The disturbing true story of an obsessive relationship gone awry in 1950s New York between Burt Pugach, a married lawyer, and his twenty-something mistress, Linda Riss. In a shocking reversal of the traditional "woman scorned" formula, it was Pugach who came unglued when Riss broke up with him -- and the subsequent fallout made headlines across the country.

The Aggressives
Feb 18, 7pm
The lives of six “aggressive” lesbians who strive to be as masculine as possible in lifestyle and appearance. From prison to the underground ball scene, where lesbians compete for lead “AG” status, this film reveals a largely hidden subculture.

No Secret Anymore
Mar 4, 7pm
Del and Phyllis creating coalitions that the prevailing belief that lesbians were illegal, immoral and sick. Phyllis and Del did the groundbreaking work on lesbian mothers, sex education, family violence, and more.

Bi the Way
Mar 11, 7pm
A documentary that investigates the recent rise in the “whatever” phenomenon exploring the changing sexual landscape of America in a bizarre and hilarious road trip, pursuing the bisexual fad. It takes viewers on every adventure from sex parks to swinger’s parties to tag with the kids.

Playing Unfair
Mar 25, 7pm
Coverage of women’s sports lags far behind men’s, and focuses on female athlete’s femininity and sexuality over their achievement on the court and field. While female athleticism challenges gender norms, women athletes are still shown in tradition roles that reaffirm their femininity.

Daughter of Danang
Apr1, 7pm
In 1975, as the Vietnam War was wending, thousands of orphans and Amerasian children were brought to the United States as part of “Operation Babylift.” Heidi Bub, a married woman now living in with kids, and her Vietnamese mother, Mai Thi Kim, reunite after being separated for 22 years.

Made in L.A.
Apr 15, 7pm
Made in L.A. follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from trendy clothing retailer Forever 21. In intimate observational style, Made in L.A. reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience.

Unborn in the USA
May 6, 7pm
A revealing and provocative look into the deep secrets and deep pockets of the pro-life movement. This documentary weaves a riveting story from more that 70 exclusive interviews with pro-life activisits and seldom-seen archival footage to document one of the most controversial social movements in American history.

Brigid Blazek

Brigid is a senior studying Public Health with a minor in English. She is excited to be graduating this May and is looking forward to life after college! Brigid hopes to work with AmeriCorps after graduation and then later obtain her Master's in Public Health with an emphasis in Urban Communities.

Brigid is currently an Intern for the WRC and will be working with the Planning and Events committee to bring different awareness issues and events to the campus community. In the past, Brigid has helped organize The Vagina Monologues and Take Back the Night and is looking forward to future events she can help bring to campus and the Tucson community.

Ashley is currently a junior majoring in women studies and sociology. She interns with the WRC on the Tabling and Outreach Committee and plans to become involved with grant writing. She has been actively involved with the Tucson Community through working with the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation over the past 2 years. In working with SAAF Ashley has been able to expand her knowledge on how to get individuals excited and involved for events such as AIDS Walk and is looking forward to doing the same for WRC events. Ashley’s goals for the WRC are to help obtain a paid director so that the WRC can become a long-standing organization on campus and to get the student body attending all WRC events. Ashley sees the WRC as a way for students to come together and make a positive change for the future.

Roe v. Wade Celebration!

Roe v. Wade Happy Hour Celebration!

Date: Thursday January 22, 2009
Time: 7-9pm
Location: The Shanty (401 E. 9th St; at the very south end of 4th Ave)
Admission: Free

Join Planned Parenthood and the University of Arizona's Women's Resource Center for a casual celebration of the 36th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. Join us to celebrate CHOICE!

No need to RSVP, just join us if you can!

Starting The Semester Off With A Bang!

The UA Women's Resource Center will be screening "The Education Of Shelby Knox" tomorrow as part of the ongoing film series.

This event has already gained some press!

See the article here:


Star of Documentary to Speak at UA

Raquel's Bio

Raquel is a Film Series and Long-Term Development Intern who also serves on the Historian Committee by working on the WRC scrapbook. She works directly with teachers, students, and other departments regarding the WRC’s contribution to the community. She is also in charge of making sure students get the necessary credit for class from films instructors have indicated are a supplement to their curriculum. Raquel also works on campus with Residence Life: Undergraduate Housing, as a student office assistant. She is current sophomore studying Political Science, Women’s Studies, and Spanish. This year Raquel is performing in the Vagina Monologues as well as dancing competitively with the UA Ballroom club. Raquel’s goal is to see the WRC develop into a professionalized center and gain a paid director as well as become a more prevalent resource on campus. She is a passionate activist who loves to advocate for social justice in everyday life and hopes this experience will make the community grow to be more diverse and tolerant.

WE'VE GOT SHELBY!

We are so excited for our first film of the Spring 2009 film series, the Education of Shelby Knox...even more exciting SHELBY HERSELF will be answering questions after the film!

The Women's Resource Center Film Series: The Education of Shelby Knox

The ASUA Women's Resource Center, Planned Parenthood, and the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership are proud to show "The Education of Shelby Knox." This film addresses many timely issues surrounding abstinence-only versus comprehensive sex education through following Shelby Knox as she challenges her local community and urges them to incorporate medially-accurate comprehensive sexual health education into Texas high schools. Through this process, Shelby confronts her conflicting values, as well as the ideologies of her state, religion and family. Following the film, Shelby Knox will answer questions and facilitate a discussion.


Date: Wednesday 21 January 2009
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Gallagher Theater
Admission: Free
Contact Name: Malia Uhatafe
Contact Number: 621-3919
URL: wrc.asua.arizona.edu

SEE YOU THERE!