Gloria Steinem to highlight fall Raise Your Voice Series

The series runs Sept. 23 through Nov. 6

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—An appearance by Gloria Steinem, a seminal figure in the women's liberation movement, will highlight the fall Raise Your Voice series at Western Michigan University.

"An Evening with Gloria Steinem" will conclude the fall speaker series at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 6, in Miller Auditorium. Her presentation, as with others in the series, is free and open to the public, with seating offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

First fall semester speaker

The fall portion of the series kicks off with a presentation by survivor, activist and writer Wagatwe Wanjuki at 7 p.m.  Wednesday, Sept. 23, in 1920 Sangren Hall. A former Tufts University student featured in the documentary "The Hunting Ground," Wanjuki uses social media to campaign for reform of college sexual assault policies. She is founding co-organizer of the Know Your IX ED ACT NOW campaign, which educates students regarding their Title IX civil rights. Her lecture is titled "Safer Campuses for All: Using Title IX to Provide an Education Free of Sexual Violence."

Wanjuki also will make a presentation earlier in the day in the Honors College as part of its Lyceum Lecture Series and conduct a workshop for WMU students. The Lyceum Lecture Series is held at noon every Wednesday in the Lee Honors College Lounge.

Other upcoming presentations

• Oct. 7: Gail Griffin, professor emerita from Kalamazoo College, "Hearing Voices: Re/collecting a Femicide," noon, Lee Honors College Lounge.

• Oct. 18: Theatre of the Oppressed performance, "(un)welcome: an exploration of sexual violence and self-empowerment," 7:30 p.m., York Arena, Gilmore Theatre Complex.

• Oct. 22: Jackson Katz, co-founder of the gender violence prevention and education program Mentors In Violence Prevention, "Violence and Silence: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help," 7 p.m., 2452 Knauss Hall.

About concluding speaker Gloria Steinem

In addition to being a political activist and leader in the women's liberation movement, Steinem is a journalist. She co-founded New York Magazine and Ms. Magazine, where she continues to serve as a consulting editor. She helped to found the Women's Action Alliance, the National Women's Political Caucus and Choice USA. She was also the founding president of the Ms. Foundation for Women and helped create Take Our Daughters to Work Day.

Steinem explained her motivation for starting Ms. Magazine by stating, "I realized as a journalist that there really is nothing for women to read that was controlled by women, and this caused me, along with a number of other women, to start Ms. Magazine."

Steinem will be signing copies of her newest book, "My Life on the Road," detailing her more than 30 years as a feminist organizer.

About the series

The Raise Your Voice lecture series is intended to respond to the groundswell of voices currently advocating for a safe and supportive environment in which to study, work, live and love. The series addresses issues of street and workplace sexual harassment, rape on college campuses, and ineffectual responses to marginalization, bullying and abuse.

The speaker series began in January and arose from discussions at the WMU Lee Honors College about issues of violence and hostility against women that had surfaced in previous months. Lee Honors College Dean Carla Koretsky and Jane Baas, honors college associate dean, formed a committee to create the yearlong speaker series.

For more information, visit wmich.edu/honors/events/raise-your-voice.

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