NSU AAUW Hosts International Women’s Day Colloquium

On Wednesday, March 20 NSU’s American Association of University Women (AAUW) sponsored the 14th annual International Women’s Day Colloquium in the Carl DeSantis Atrium. The theme for 2019 was Balance for Better and nearly 100 students, faculty and staff attended this event. Student organizations participated by displaying their research posters that focused on gender equity issues in their chosen fields.

Randi Sims, President NSU-AAUW, welcomed all in attendance and discussed the history of the women’s movement and posed the question of what this generation will do for future generations of young girls and women. Maureen McDermott, Vice-President of Membership NSU-AAUW, then introduced the eloquent speaker.

Ivelices Thomas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of RH & Beyond gave a poignant and heartfelt speech on Creating Your Own Path to Parity. Ms. Thomas discussed her personal journey and the challenges and obstacles that she discovered along the way. She learned invaluable lessons such as being as advocated for yourself by demonstrating you are the right person for the role. Additionally, all women need internal advocates for times when you aren’t in the room to represent yourself. She emphasized forming relationships with colleagues at all levels of a business. She also recommended becoming involved in organizations that matter to you and your company. Women helping other women was also stressed. She shared her personal experience of getting to a top position and hiring women. At first she worried about doing this but then realized this is how the positive change happens.

Afterward undergraduate student Sarah Goltsman, winner of the USS-AAUW award, shared her powerful spoken word poem Masterpiece. This thought-provoking poem incorporated women’s right and suffrage as well as sexual harassment and abuse. The main theme is that a woman’s body can stop being her own. Throughout her art, she invokes other women she admires in her life showing women are so much more than their bodies. Her poem can send chills through one’s body as it was so real and relatable. It ended with hope that through open discussion and unity a difference can and will be made.

This is the link for her spoken word poem: https://vimeo.com/groups/183597/videos/262089482

This event concluded with closing remarks by Rose Llanos-Almeida, Director of Programs NSU-AAUW, where she invited everyone to become part of the AAUW and push forward on our path together.

AAUW-NSU wishes to thank the Office of Orientation & Commuter Engagement and The Women’s Success Series for partial funding of this event.