University kicks off events for Women’s History Month

MARCH 3, 2021 — From their battles and contributions to their advancements in society, UTSA is recognizing the hundreds of women who have made an impact throughout the decades. The UTSA Women’s Studies Institute and Women’s Studies Program is hosting several virtual events in honor of Women’s History Month throughout March.

“For over 16 years, the Women’s Studies Institute has hosted one of the country’s largest Women’s History Month celebrations, with 15 to 30 public events each March,” said Jackie Cuevas, director of the UTSA Women’s Studies Institute. “The month-long speaker series features scholars, authors, filmmakers, and community leaders hosted by various departments.” 

The following Women’s History Month events will all be held in a virtual setting.

Racial Justice Book Club
Wednesday, March 3, 2 p.m.

Starting off Women’s History Month by reading Mikki Kendall’s 2020 book Hood Feminism: Notes from Women that a Movement Forgot, the book club will meet weekly (except for spring break) to discuss concepts introduced throughout the book.

Women in the Academy
Wednesday, March 3, 4 p.m.

Sedef Doganer and women faculty from both the College of Engineering and the College of Architecture, Construction & Planning will speak about their academic journeys and share advice for those considering a similar path.

Empowering Women Leaders to Rise: Women’s Leadership Panel
Thursday, March 4, 11 a.m.

Student moderators will ask a faculty and staff panel questions on topics related to career diversification, climbing the career ladder, gender pay gap, different types of discrimination that women experience, work-life balance, creating a support network, and more.

Working in Humanitarian Aid: Notes from the Field
Thursday, March 4, 1 p.m.

Grassroots humanitarian Maryam Mehdowi discusses her work with Mercy Corps and other non-governmental organizations, as well as experiences with Syrian refugees, refugee resettlements, and human rights education. UTSA history professor Catherine Nolan-Ferrell will serve as the host.

Virtual Platica: Latinas and the Politics of Urban Space
Saturday, March 20, 1 p.m.

This virtual discussion will focus on Latinas and the Politics of Urban Space (2021), edited by UTSA professors Sharon Navarro and Liliana Saldaña. The book highlights Chicanas, Puerto Rican women, and other Latinas who organize and lead social movements, either on the ground or digitally. These women challenge racism, sexism, homophobia, and anti-immigration policies through their political praxis and spiritual activism. Drawing from a range of disciplines and perspectives, the academics and activist authors offer unique insights into environmental justice, peace and conflict resolution, women’s rights, LGBTQ coalition-building, and more—all through a distinctive Latina lens. 

Keynote Speaker Address: Helena María Viramontes
Tuesday, March 23, 1 p.m.

Helena María Viramontes is the author of The Moths and Other Stories, Under the Feet of Jesus, and Their Dogs Came With Them. A recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the John Dos Passos Award for Literature and a United States Artists Fellowship, her short stories and essays have been widely anthologized and her writings have been adopted for classroom use and university study. A community organizer and former coordinator of the Los Angeles Latino Writers Association, Viramontes frequently reads and lectures across the United States and internationally. She is currently completing a draft of her third novel, The Cemetery Boys.

What did the Indigenous Think of Malintzin? Aztec Commentaries on the Most Famous Women of Their Time
Wednesday, March 24, 6 p.m.

Spend the evening with American historian and distinguished professor of history Camilla Townsend from Rutgers University, who studies the relations between the indigenous and Europeans throughout the Americas. Her publications have spanned Mexico, the Andean region and the Chesapeake. She is deeply immersed in the study of Nahuatl, the Aztec language, and the 16th- and 17th-century writings left by Native American historians.

Take a Walk in Her Boots
Tuesday, March 30, 1 p.m.

UTSA military liaison and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Lisa Carrington Firmin and other panelists will conduct a virtual conversation about the experiences of women in the military and will share resources for survivors of sexual violence.

— Valerie Bustamante

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