Happy 20th Birthday Women’s Center!
100,000 Stories: Which One Is Yours?
I remember exactly how I felt the first time I walked into the Women’s Center here at UMBC. I was still in the process of job searching since the move back to Baltimore from Colorado and a not-so-great economy had only landed me a part time job. I had set up an information interview with the current director, Mollie, to find out more about her professional journey and how she got to be director of a Women’s Center—a dream job of mine. As soon as I came into the Center and sat in the lounge, a peace came over me. My worries hushed and for the first time in several months, I felt my heart smiling. This place had amazing energy, love, and strength. This was a place I wanted to work. Lucky for me, I got my wish and I’m now in my dream job, directing the Women’s Center in its 20th year. As I think back over the 20 years the Women’s Center has been open serving over 100,000 individuals, I can only imagine other similar stories in which the Women’s Center has played a pivotal role. I believe it is those 100,000 stories that whispered in my ear, telling me I would be okay on my first visit to the Center and I believe it is those stories that still give me peace and strength every time I walk into this place.
Over the past 20 years, 100,000 individuals have walked through the Women’s Center’s doors co-creating our community—hence the anniversary year’s theme of 100,000 Stories: Which One is Yours? Just as I have shared my own story, I’ve been encouraging faculty, staff, and students to reflect and share their own stories of the Center throughout the year-long celebration. I also feel it is important to share the Women’s Center’s story with the UMBC community. During my short time at UMBC, I have been impressed by the rich history of the Women’s Center. From the diligent work of our founding members to the dedication of others to keep our doors open during the many transitions of the Center to the everyday activism and awareness of those blossoming within our space, our history is deep and inspiring. Much like the title of this blog, the Women’s Center truly was Co-Created by so many important and valuable people who did not want to settle for a campus without a Women’s Center. I realize not everyone on campus has had the opportunity to hear it so I’m thankful to be able to share some of it with you today. UMBC is a diverse community with diverse needs. Since its founding in 1966, faculty, staff and students have felt the need to have a safe space on campus where resources, information, and materials could be accessed on issues relating to gender, equity, and justice. In creating that space, the Founding Committee for the Women’s Center had to ask themselves important questions about establishing a Center in the first place. For instance: What services will be provided? Where will it be located? Who will run it? Where will funding be obtained? The Founding Committee went about answering these questions by gathering information about pre-existing Women’s Centers and their functions. With this information, the Founding Committee was able to write a proposal and hold formal meetings with administrators to request space and funding support for a Women’s Center with a mission to assist women in achieving their full potential in education, work, and personal lives through personal empowerment, academic and intellectual growth, and professional development. The Women’s Center became a reality in September 1991 and was opened its doors on the second floor of GYM I (which was located in the same space the Commons currently stands).
During its early years, the Women’s Center stayed open through the help of a part-time director and the Women’s Union, a feminist student organization, helped to enlist student volunteers who collectively contributed a total of 50 hours per week. In addition to hosting meetings and groups focusing on women’s issues, the Center also provided meeting space for a variety of campus organizations. The Center worked to plan events, workshops and seminars; offered referrals; provided lending library; and programs targeted at single parents, non-traditional students, and women of color. It became an advocate on campus for issues of concern to all people.
Over the next several years, the Women’s Center showed its grace, agility, and flexibility with many changes. The leadership of the Center transitioned several times with many faculty and staff stepping in and up to support the Women’s Center. Additionally, the Center moved several times before finally landing in its current home space, The Commons, in 2004. The Center is now complete with comfortable couches, a kitchenette, a meditation/lactation room, a lending library, an ever-present supply of dental dams, fe/male condoms, tampons, pads and alternative menstrual products, several communities like the book club, returning women group, & mother’s group, and resources and referrals ranging from sexual assault and relationship violence, reproductive health, menopause, sexual orientation, gender awareness, scholarships, and counseling services.
Since its beginning, with only one volunteer staff member, the Women’s Center has expanded into a much larger space with a larger staff. Programming has changed and grown to meet the needs of the community and the Women’s Center staff commitments and responsibilities have also changed to complement the trends in higher education and society. Last year the Center hosted over 250 programs, assisted survivors of interpersonal violence, supported individuals in the LGBT community, helped build a community for returning women, and supported working moms and dads. Indeed, there is no doubt that the Women’s Center commitment to providing space, programming and opportunities for the development of women (and all individuals) has remained true over the past 20 years.
Recently, one of our recent graduates, Kat Patterson, came back to the Women’s Center to help us film for our digital story telling piece. I had the honor in introducing her to Simmona Simmons, one of the founding members of the Women’s Center. As I told Kat about Simmona’s role in the Women’s Center, Kat put her hands over her heart and said, “Thank you. Without the Women’s Center, my experience here would not have been as rich.” It was a beautiful moment that I am grateful to experienced. And, as I stand here at this pivotal moment, I look back over the 20 years, but perhaps even more importantly, look forward to the next 20 years. I am hopeful for the new stories of gratitude and thanks, for the new ways we will expand and grow, and for the new ways students will see the Women’s Center as their friend and ally. The Women’s Center is an ever evolving co-creation of those who come through our doors. Please use our anniversary year to be a part of the story!
The 20th Anniversary year officially begins on Wednesday, September 14th at noon with our kick-off picnic. Hope to see you there! For more information stop by the Women’s Center or check out our group page on my.umbc.
--Jess Myers
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