Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), a Maricopa Community College, will celebrate Women's History Month during the month of March. There will be a variety of events and activities held on campus that are aimed to "Strengthen the Community through Sharing and Learning," the theme of the month's celebration. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. The college is located at 3000 N. Dysart Road in Avondale.
Photos of Women by Women; March 1 - 31, 2009
From March 1 - 31, 2009, "Photos of Women by Women," will be available for viewing in the college's Plaza Gallery. The display of women's photography focuses on the woman's gaze in photography. Photos were submitted by community members and Estrella Mountain faculty, staff and students. For more information, please contact Dr. Olga Tsoudis at 623-935-8592.
"A Woman's Treasure: Bedouin Jewelry of the Arabian Peninsula;" March 2 - 26, 2009
For ages past, Bedouin tribes have traveled throughout the vast expanses of the Arabian Desert, dependent on the seasons to feed their herds and sustain their nomadic existence. Along with the camels, black tents, pungent spices, and aromatic coffee, the traditional Bedouin caravan was characterized by the jingling of tiny bells, signaling a remarkable treasure belonging to the women of the tribe - their jewelry.
Bedouin women are given jewelry as dowry and wedding gifts, upon the arrival of children, for ceremonies, and special occasions throughout their lives. These ornaments are a women's treasure - her wealth, her savings account, her security, her possession. So honored were these objects, that even in times of battle, it was forbidden for rival warriors to loot a women's jewelry. The craftsmanship and design of the pieces reflect a variety of cultural references, including the geometric patterns of Arabian design and architecture, potent symbols of Islam, charms to ward off evil, intriguing religious amulets and the allure of adornment.
Over the past few decades, traditional Bedouin culture has diminished. Nomadic life is often no longer viable as people settle into cities and villages. Historically, a woman's jewelry is melted down upon her death, and examples of original pieces are becoming almost impossible to find. Drawing upon the collections of Frances Meade and Gabrielle Liese, "A Woman's Treasure: Bedouin Jewelry of the Arabian Peninsula" features over one hundred pieces of jewelry, headdresses, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, coffee urns, incense burners and other artifacts from Bedouin life. This exhibit features some of the finest examples of traditional Bedouin jewelry, most of it collected during thirty years of Meade's residence in Saudi Arabia.
The exhibit will be available for viewing March 2 - 26, 2009 at Estrella Mountain Community College, in partnership with Glendale's Bead Museum. The display will be located in the college's art cases in Komatke Hall, buildings A and C, and in Estrella Hall. This will be the collection's final exhibition in the United States before it is acquired by a women's museum in Saudi Arabia. Please note the Art Walk and Talk, occurring on March 26, where students and community members can hear about the collection directly from Frances Meade, the owner/collector. For more information, visit www.beadmuseumaz.org, or contact Joyce Jackson at 623-935-8055.
New Life Center Drive: March 2 - 7, 2009
Estrella Mountain Community College will be collecting items in support of the residents of the New Life Center Refuge for Domestic Violence. The "Moms and Tots" collection project is being co-sponsored by the Psi Beta Psychology Honor Society and the Women's History Month committee. Items on the "wish list" for women at the Center are: personal care items such as hair care products, bath & body products, fragrance, cosmetics, skin care products, and teen products. Items for the children include disposable diapers sizes 3, 4 & 5, new baby bottles, sippy cups, baby food, formula, art supplies, books, activities, school uniforms, and shoes. Gift cards are also appreciated. Drop off locations will be marked boxes in each of the buildings on campus. For more information, please contact Dr. Roselyn ("Ro") Turner at 623-935-8454.
"The Vagina Monologues" Reading: Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The college will host a reading of "The Vagina Monologues," an award-winning play written by Eve Ensler to increase awareness and bring to an end to violence against women and girls. Students, faculty and staff will read from the play in the college's Ceremonial Plaza on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Donation opportunities will be available during the performance and all proceeds will benefit the New Life Center. For more information, please contact Erin Blomstrand at 623-935-8332.
Humannequin Display: March 9 - 13, 2009
Humannequins will be on display in the Ceremonial Plaza from March 9 - 13, 2009. Humannequins are fashion mannequins altered by Estrella Mountain students and employees to represent women's rights in a specific country. The humannequin display will also include posters surrounding the mannequin to discuss women's rights in those specific countries in order to educate the campus community. For more information, please contact Dr. Olga Tsoudis at 623-935-8592.
Hall of Fame: Tuesday, March 25 - 27, 2009
As a part of EMCC Women's History Month activities, students will participate in creating a poster display celebrating women in academic disciplines. The posters will feature information on women's lives, contributions, work, and impact on other's lives. The posters will be displayed in front of Estrella Hall during the Women's Expo on Wednesday, March 25 through Friday, March 27. For more information, please contact Dr. Jean Pierce at 602-793-3833.
Women's Expo; Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Women's Expo will be comprised of a variety of events including student speakers and performances, the New Life Center Silent Auction, an EMCC employee arts and crafts sale, poster display, and information tables hosted by community partners such as NOW Sun City, Arizona Children's Association, Arizona Women's Education and Employment (AWEE), Ms. Magazine, Phoenix Advocacy, Arizonans for the Protection of Exploited Children and Adults (APECA), and more. The Women's Expo will span the outdoor areas of the campus including Montezuma Courtyard, Ceremonial Plaza, and Image Zone. For more information, please contact Dr. Roselyn ("Ro") Turner at 623-935-8454.
Hermanas: Disena Tu Futuro (Design Your Future): March 25, 2009
Guided by the mission of increasing the number of underrepresented females in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, Estrella Mountain Community College has partnered with Intel Corporation, IBM, Avnet, and Latino Perspectives Magazine to plan, design and host two, one-day conferences for the fourth annual year. The first conference, held in February, brought approximately 180 middle school students to the Estrella Mountain campus for activities including science experiments as well as professional and personal development workshops. The second conference, Wednesday, March 25, 2009, will have similar activities and will target local high school districts such as Tolleson and Agua Fria, outreaching to approximately 180 high school students.
Registration is still open to any female, high school student who wishes to participate in this free conference. For more information about the conference or signing up, contact Anna Russo at 623-935-8487.
The Hermanas conference provides a supportive environment where young women can interact with successful Latinas in STEM careers, explore technological careers, receive encouragement to finish school and attend college, and to pursue their goals.
Art Talk and Walk, Music and Dessert Reception; Thursday, March 26, 2009
On Thursday, March 26, 2009, Estrella Mountain Community College will host an Art Walk and Talk, featuring "A Woman's Treasure: Bedouin Jewelry of the Arabian Peninsula." The event will begin with an introduction by the exhibition's owner/collector, Frances Meade, who spent 33 years in Saudi Arabia and authored, "Honey and Onions; A Life in Saudi Arabia." The reception will continue with a dessert service by the college's culinary students in the Plaza Gallery at 1:00 p.m. while a flute and guitar duo will perform various Classical and Jazz selections. Finally, guests will tour the exhibition while hearing about the unique pieces in the collection. This is a unique opportunity for the West Valley, as this will be the last exhibition of the display in the United States. For more information, please contact Joyce Jackson at 623-935-8055.
Guest Speaker; Friday, March 27, 2009
Lori Girshick, faculty member at Chandler Gilbert Community College, will discuss her latest book, "Transgender Voices," on Friday, March 27, 2009 in Estrella Mountain's Plaza Gallery from 9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. "Transgender Voices" examines the lives of transgender and gender variant people through personal interviews. For more information, please contact Dr. Olga Tsoudis at 623-935-8592.
Film Series; March 30, 31, April 2, 2009
Taboo: Sexuality; Monday, March 30, 2009; 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.; Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
An exploration of what we do and don't find attractive. For more information, please contact Malik Toms at 623-935-8303.
Transamerica; Tuesday, March 31, 2009; 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.; CTL
An inspiring story of one person's struggle to align their body with their gender amidst a life full of complications. For more information, please contact Dr. Christina Van Puymbroeck at 623-935-8472.
Fire; Thursday, April 2, 2009; 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.; CTL
Deepa Mehta, the writer, director, and co-producer of the film, received death threats after a showing of Fire at an Indian film festival in 1998. Protestors took offense at Mehta's portrayal of patriarchy and homosexuality within Indian culture. The film depicts the lives of two families where the women are ignored emotionally, intellectually, and sexually by their husbands, and turn to each other, first as friends and later as lovers. Going against mainstream culture's expectations of heterosexuality and patriarchy, they struggle with rejection and self-acceptance. For more information, please contact Dr. Kathleen Iudicello at 623-935-8460.
For media inquiries or for more information about Women's History Month activities, please contact Carissa Pool, at 623-935-8054.