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The interaction of race and gender will be the topic for two women who know the subject well when Women’s Studies hosts “An Evening with Shay Banks-Young and Julia Jefferson Westerinen” on March 20 at 7:30 p.m., in Martin University Center. Their lecture and discussion is free and open to the public.
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| Julia Jefferson Westerinen, left, and Shay Banks-Young, who are descendants of Thomas Jefferson, will speak on March 20 as part of Women's History Month. |
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Banks-Young, who is African American, and Westerinen, who is white, are descendants of founding father Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, one of his slaves. Their appearance is one of many highlights of the University’s annual celebration of Women’s History Month, which this year honors Ohio’s Bicentennial as well.
“We’ve chosen ‘Two Centuries of Accomplishment: Ohio Women Past, Present and Future’ as our theme this year,” says Sue Wamsley, interim director of Women’s Studies.
“Women in Ohio have a long and established tradition of active participation, ranging from the underground railroad to suffrage to human rights,” adds Wamsley. “In commemoration of Ohio’s Bicentennial and in recognition of the many achievements of Ohio women on the local, state, national and international levels, we have put together a program that reflects the diversity of women’s lives and experiences.”
None more so than Banks-Young and Westerinen.
It was only after recent genetic testing strongly suggested that the nation’s third president had fathered children with Hemings that the world learned what many in both families had known for generations. The news has continued to stir controversy. Some historians, as well as some members of Jefferson’s family, still discount the authenticity of this claim.
Banks-Young, the great-great-great granddaughter of Madison Hemings, grew up in the ghetto while Westerinen, the great-great-great granddaughter of Eston Hemings, grew up in a privileged white middle-class home with private schools, travel and unlimited opportunities.
“She had to fight to get where she is,” Westerinen has been quoted as saying of her newly found cousin. “The two of us have bonded and it isn’t about color; it is about family. We met on the ‘Oprah’ show and we became immediate, firm fast friends. Thirty of us met after ‘Oprah’ and we could recognize family traits across the races.”
Since then, Banks-Young, who lives in Columbus, and Westerinen, who lives in Staten Island, N.Y., have lectured on college campuses around the country on the issues surrounding race and gender in America.
For more information on Women’s History Month events, call the Women’s Studies office at ext. 7008 or the number listed with the event. All events will be held on campus. Here is the rest of the schedule.
March 1
Fourth Annual Kids Career Day, Student Union, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Girls in grades one through six will enjoy an interactive morning with women professionals in such nontraditional careers as engineering, polymer science, zoology, chemistry and law enforcement. Registration is limited and the cost is $3. Visit www.ecgf.uakron.edu for registration forms or call ext. 7701.
March 4
“Reap What You Sow: Ohio Women Working for Peace,” Martin University Center, Ballroom, 7 to 9 p.m.
Women who have worked for international peace from the local to the international level will participate in a panel discussion. Then, during a community forum, participants will examine what individuals can do to work for peace. Refreshments will be provided. Call ext. 5981 for more information.
March 5
“Understanding and Preventing Sexual Assault,” Counseling, Testing and Career Center, Schrank Hall 152, 1:05 p.m.
Sexual assault is a frightening and traumatic experience. This workshop will provide strategies to reduce the risk of sexual assault by a stranger or while on a date. Presented by Mahnaz-Nowroozi Mousavi and Ellen Stein, psychology interns. Call ext. 7082 to reserve a space.
March 6
“Women's Body Image,” Counseling, Testing and Career Center, Schrank Hall 152, 1:05 p.m.
This workshop will focus on the messages women receive about their bodies and ways to handle them. Behaviors that may lead to eating disorders also will be discussed. Presented by Sally Diegelman and Michelle Vaughan, graduate students. Call ext. 7082 to reserve a space.
March 7
Wellness Fair, Student Union, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A tradition of the University’s Women’s History Month Celebration, this year’s Wellness Fair will feature a variety of presenters, booths and table displays focusing on women’s health issues. Call ext. 7464 for more information.
March 7
“Women and Place: An Exploration of the Politics of Space and Location,” Martin University Center, 3 to 5 p.m.
This Fourth Annual Feminist Faculty Roundtable will offer an opportunity for feminist scholars from various disciplines in Northern Ohio to meet and exchange ideas about their research, teaching and programs. Featured speakers include faculty from The University of Akron, Kent State University and Cleveland State University. Refreshments will be provided and there will be ample time for open discussion. Call ext. 6277 for more information.
March 11
Randi Driscoll, “Music That Matters: Mending Torn Souls, Fostering Tolerance, Impacting Lives” Bulger Residence Hall, Bulger Down Under, 9:09 p.m.
Driscoll will share her views on music and its role in creating social change and freedom as well as censorship and hate speech. Driscoll blends music and words in a tribute to Matthew Shepard, murdered in 1998 in an anti-gay hate crime, to send a positive message on the effects of such acts in today’s world. For more information, call ext. 6596 or visit http://home.earthlink.net/~randi7/home.html .
March 12
“A Student, But Also a Parent,” Counseling, Testing and Career Center, Schrank Hall 152, 1:10 to 3 p.m.
Workshop participants will discuss the struggles involved with family and academic obligations and learn how to balance the competing responsibilities of being a parent and student. Presented by Mahnaz-Nowroozi Mousavi and Ellen Stein, psychology interns. Call ext. 7082 to reserve a space.
March 12
“Parallel Lives: The Kathy and Mo Show,” Student Union, 7:30 p.m.
This Queen Bee Productions play takes its audience through an outrageous universe where two actresses play men and women struggling with the common rituals of modern life. Admission is free for UA students with a valid Zip Card and $3 for all others.
March 13
“Women and Justice: Unique Issues, Problems and Solutions,” Martin University Center, Library, 3-5 p.m.
Through professional and personal experiences, panel members will share insights into this male-dominated institution, helping the audience to understand the critical role that women play in criminal justice. Refreshments will be provided. Call ext. 8267 for more information.
March 31
“Women in Ohio Politics,” Martin University Center, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This panel discussion will bring together women from around Ohio who have been active in politics. From judges to legislators to prosecutors, panelists will explore women’s vital role in making, legislating and carrying out the law. Reservations are required and there will be a nominal cost for the luncheon. For more information or to make reservations, contact Janet Bolois at ext. 5182.
Campus sponsors of Women’s History Month, in addition to the Women’s Studies program, include the Center for Conflict Management; Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics; Student Union; College of Engineering; School of Social Work; Master’s in Social Work Student Organization; Undergraduate Student Social Work League; and the departments of public service technology, history, political science, sociology, communication, and classical studies, anthropology and archeology.
Other sponsors include Lockheed Martin; Oriana House; Girl Scouts of the Western Reserve; Campus Community Against War; American Friends Service Committee of Northeast Ohio; Crown Point Ecology Center; Akron Global Network; People for Peace of Greater Akron; Peace Grows; The Catholic Commission; Food Not Bombs; Catholic Worker; Middle East Students Association; and Students Taking Action for a New Democracy.
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