The Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity and the Women’s History Month Committee at UNC Pembroke recently announced events for Women’s History Month to be held March 1-31, 2021.

Women's History Month commemorates and raises awareness of the historical and contemporary contributions of women. The celebration’s roots can be traced to the first International Women’s Day in 1911. Women’s History Week was first held during the week of March 8, 1978 in Sonoma County, California. The celebration evolved into a week that was celebrated nationally after U.S. President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. Congress passed a law in 1987 which designated the month of March 1987 as Women’s History Month. Since 1988, U.S. presidents have issued proclamations designating March as Women’s History Month. Today, Women’s History Month is celebrated internationally.

Details for virtual events listed below can be found at uncp.edu/womenshistorymonth, including Webex/Zoom access links and event registration links.

UNCP’s events to be held during Women’s History Month include:

• Join us for a curated list of the top 10 podcasts that celebrate the diversity of womanhood and grapple with real issues that impact women.
• March 1-31, 2021: Donate feminine hygiene products. Donation boxes have been placed around campus in the CARE Resource Center (Wellons Hall, Suite C), Department of Music (Moore Hall), Office of Regional Initiatives, Student Health Services (Brave Health Center) and the Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity (Old Main, Room 124) to collect donations of feminine hygiene products. The CARE Resource Center will collect and distribute the donations throughout the month.
• March 1, 2021: The Being Black Series continues at 7 p.m. and can be attended virtually. Join us for a roundtable discussion, moderated by Cotrayia Hardison, president of the Student Government Association, on what “Being Black and Being A Woman” means at UNCP. Students will have the opportunity to share their experiences in an open forum.
• March 3, 2021: Attend Snacks and Social Justice at 3 p.m. to discuss human trafficking. Participate virtually. The event is sponsored by the Office of Community and Civic Engagement.
• March 10, 2021: Join us for Women in Society: A Living Room Conversation at 2 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Office of Community and Civic Engagement.
• March 11, 2021: Conversations Across Borders, a virtual series sponsored by UNC Pembroke's Office of Global Engagement and Office of Campus Engagement and Leadership, interviews people from around the world discussing how they engage in leadership, global citizenship and change-making. Join at 6 p.m. for a conversation with Alhelí Aranda Britez, human resources manager for sales with Bimbo Bakeries USA as she introduces Paraguay and its culture to the listeners, including Paraguayan food, traditions, economy and geography. She also talks about some of the similarities and differences between U.S. and Paraguayan cultures when it comes to leadership and gender-roles. Participate virtually.
• March 11, 2021: Join An Evening with Indigenous Women in STEM from 6-7 p.m. Register in advance at uncp.edu/womenshistorymonth. Sponsored by UNCP’s American Indian Heritage Center, the panel includes:
  • Ashley Lomboy (Waccamaw Siouan), global information security manager for Corning Optical Fiber and Cable
  • Heather Oxendine (Lumbee), Initiative Management manager for Duke Energy Corporation
  • Liz Cummings (Lumbee), director of Information Technology Support Services at UNC Pembroke
  • Audrey Oxendine (Lumbee), chief of the Energies and Utilities branch at Fort Bragg (U.S. Army)
• March 11, 2021: Join via Zoom for Warrior Women Self-Defense, a self-defense class, with American Indian martial artist Karen Eden Herdman from 7-8:30 p.m. This event is in partnership with the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program. Register in advance online.
• March 12, 2021: Join Gabriela Garcia Medina at 6 p.m. to learn about The Art of Spoken Word. The event is sponsored by the Pembroke Activities Cancel (PAC).
• March 13, 2021: Hawk Cinema presents “On the Basis of Sex,” the true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her struggles for equal rights and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court associate justice. Sponsored by New Student Programs and Campus Engagement and Leadership, the film will be available for 24 hours beginning at 12 a.m.
• March 15, 2021: Join Dr. Jamie Mize, assistant professor of history and director of the REACH Program at UNCP, to learn more about matrilineal societies among Southeastern American Indian peoples. Participate virtually at 4 p.m.
• March 15-19, 2021: View an exhibit on historical women titled “That’s What She Said!” in the Chavis University Center.
• March 18, 2021: Dr. Devon Mihesuah, an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Cora Lee Beers Price Teaching Professor in International Cultural Understanding at the University of Kansas, presents the keynote address virtually for the Southeast Indian Studies Conference at 4 p.m. Admission is free but registration is required to attend the conference.
• March 18, 2021: Participate in the Smart, Funny, and Black game show hosted by Amanda Seales of HBO’s Insecure. The show begins at 7 p.m. Participate virtually through BraveConnect.
• March 19, 2021: Attend the UNCP Women’s Empowerment Summit from 1-4 p.m. The theme is Resilience + Balance = Overcoming. The summit is sponsored by the Office of Regional Initiatives. Admission is free but registration is required.
• March 24, 2021: Join us for the panel discussion She Did That: A Salute to Excellence in Women’s Leadership at 6 p.m. Participate virtually. The panelists include:
  • Haleigh Baker, president of Lambda Sigma Society (UNCP student organization)
  • Jessica Cologan, dean of Library Services at UNCP
  • Michelin Henderson-Maldonado, president of Spectrum (UNCP student organization)
  • Faline Locklear Dial, Robeson County commissioner
  • Maite Malen Easterling, president of Acto Latino and Sigma Delta Pi (UNCP student organizations)
  • Dr. Loury Floyd, dean of the School of Education at UNCP
  • Dr. Zoe Locklear, interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UNCP
  • Wixie Stephens, Robeson County commissioner
  • Virginia Teachey, vice chancellor for Finance and Administration at UNCP
  • Moderators: UNCP student Brittany Best and Dr. Veronica Hardy, professor of social work at UNCP
• March 25, 2021: Conversations Across Borders, a virtual series by UNC Pembroke's Office of Global Engagement and Office of Campus Engagement and Leadership, features interviews with people from around the world discussing how they engage in leadership, global citizenship and change making. Join us at 6 p.m. for a conversation with Dr. S Anandavalli, assistant professor at Southern Oregon University, as she talks about her journey from India to the United States, and how that journey affected her identity. Dr. Anandavalli talks about feminism and privilege within Indian culture and compare it to American culture. Also, she introduces the listeners to the Indian festival Holi. Participate virtually.
• March 29 - April 1, 2021: Virtual Women’s Health Fair
• March 29, 2021: Join us for Our Bodies, Our Wallets: Real Talk on Reusable Period Products with Dr. Joanna Hersey, professor of tuba euphonium at UNCP from 3:30-4:30 p.m. All genders are welcome for this discussion of the various types of re-usable period products currently on the market. Many who are interested in saving both their wallets and the environment are finding options available which are comfortable and affordable. Join virtually.
• March 30, 2021: Learn more about Reproductive Health, Maternal Health and Breastfeeding 101 with Healthy Start Robeson and facilitator Mary Beth Locklear, director of UNC Pembroke’s Office of Regional Initiatives. Join virtually at 4 p.m.
• March 31, 2021: Join Dr. Jada Brooks, assistant professor of nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, at 4 p.m. as she discusses mental health, stress and inflammation and how it puts women at risk for cardiovascular diseases. Attend virtually.
• March 31, 2021: Attend Snacks and Social Justice at 3 p.m. to discuss the #MeToo Movement, an international movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Participate virtually. The event is sponsored by the Office of Community and Civic Engagement.
• April 1, 2021: Participate in virtual Zumba with student instructor Josefa Gonzalez-Parral at 5 p.m.

Director of Student Inclusion and Diversity Dr. Lawrence Locklear highlighted the importance of Women’s History Month to BraveNation when he stated, “UNC Pembroke proudly recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of women and those who have made a difference on our campus and in the community.”

Dr. Locklear continued, “Women’s History Month is also a time to increase awareness and look critically at issues of equality and opportunity faced by women and how BraveNation can become empowered to advocate for these and other women’s issues.”

Women’s History Month is sponsored by the Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity, the Women’s History Month Committee, American Indian Heritage Center, American Indian Studies, Campus Engagement and Leadership, Community and Civic Engagement, Global Engagement, New Student Programs, Pembroke Activities Council, Regional Initiatives and the Residence Hall Association.

For more information about Women’s History Month at UNC Pembroke, please visit uncp.edu/womenshistorymonth or contact the Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity at 910.521.6508 or osid@uncp.edu.