The Women’s Center’s mission is to advocate for the best educational experience for all by addressing systemic oppression, empowering communities and working toward a shared vision of gender equity in pursuit of a safe, inclusive and compassionate campus.
Paige Davies, the Women’s Center director, emphasized that even though it is a Women’s Center, the organization does not solely serve and champion cisgender women; rather, the Women’s Center serves as a safe space for anyone, no matter their gender identity.
Among the Women’s Center programs is Safe@Weber, available online through the eWeber portal or through in-person workshops. Safe@Weber workshops educate the WSU community on topics like bystander intervention, consent, healthy boundaries and the intersections between violence and discrimination.
Additionally, the center hosts Sister Circle, an educational program offered every semester. This is a space for women to gather and discuss current issues relevant within their lives.
The Women’s Center also hosts annual events like Take Back the Night to educate WSU students about sexual violence and Lunafest, a film festival made by, for and about women. Proceeds from this event go toward aiding survivors of domestic and sexual abuse within the community.
The Women’s Center has a leadership program ran with students where they are provided professional development opportunities, mentorship and education about gender equity.
“Whether we’re just having a meal together or talking about a current issue happening around the world, we just try to have a space where people feel like they can come and hang out, do their homework and get more involved in the programs,” Davies said.
Davies will teach a Women and Gender Studies course in the fall on violence prevention education. Students who complete the course in the spring can become Safe@Weber peer educators, going on to assist and teach workshops.
The Women’s Center has a resource pantry that can be useful for students in times of emergencies or need. They provide free condoms, feminine products and pregnancy tests. The center understands that these products can be expensive or forgotten. Students are welcome to help themselves whenever they are in need.
After the WSU Block Party, the Women’s Center is hosting an open house Sept. 11 at 10 a.m in its new location shared with the LGBT Resource Center.
