Blume Library: Women's History Month: WHM 2021

2021 National Women's History Month Theme

Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced is the 2021 National Women's History Month theme. The theme "captures the spirit of these challenging times. Since most 2020 women’s suffrage centennial celebrations were curtailed, the National Women’s History Alliance is extending the annual theme for 2021 to “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.”

"The National Women’s History Alliance is determined that the important roles of multicultural suffragists and voting rights activists continue to be recognized and honored. We refuse to allow their voices to be silenced, even by a pandemic.

"Many organizations have already rescheduled and extended their centennial events into 2021. With national attention moving on, 2021 will particularly recognize the remarkable new research, grassroots political activity, and artistic developments in every state.

"These deepen our understanding and shine a brilliant new light on local women’s political involvement, development, and leadership. Despite tremendous opposition, they refused to be silenced."

2021 Women's History Month events at St. Mary's University

March 2021

Alice Wright Franzke Feminist Award Ceremony - Monday, March 1, 4:00 p.m., online (Diane Duesterhoeft)
Real Talk 2.0 - Tuesday, March 2, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., in-person (Bordeaux Lounge, maximum 10) and virtual via Zoom. To celebrate Women’s History Month, join us to learn about female athletes who have made a significant impact on sports. Community Engagement (Iliana Mallett)
Showing of the Documentary Knock Down the House - Thursday, March 4, 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., via Zoom. Knock Down the House is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Rachel Lears. It revolves around the 2018 congressional primary campaigns of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush and Paula Jean Swearengin, four progressive Democrats endorsed by Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress. This film helps to reveal the struggles that female politicians face when running for office. (Claudia Donoso, Ph.D. & Kathe Lehman-Meyer)
Women's History-Themed Jeopardy Game - Thursday, March 4, 6:00 p.m., via Zoom. Join the Women's Affairs Council (WAC), IGNITE and the University Programming Council (UPC) during the Women's History Themed Jeopardy Game. Celebrate Women's History Month by testing your knowledge of women past and present for the chance to win prizes from women-owned businesses! (UPC)
Discussion of the documentary Knock Down the House - Friday, March 5, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., via Zoom. Panelists discuss the documentary: Knock Down the House on Friday, March 5, at 11 a.m. Knock Down the House is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Rachel Lears. It revolves around the 2018 congressional primary campaigns of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, Cori Bush and Paula Jean Swearengin, four progressive Democrats endorsed by Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress who ran in that year's midterm elections. Panelists: Rebeca Martinez, Chief Justice of the 4^th Court of Appeals; Amy Kroll, Founder and Executive Director, LBJ Women's Campaign School; Dasheika Ruffin, Former Senior Advisor/Consultant to the Warnock for Senate Campaign. (Claudia Donoso, Ph.D. and Chief Justice Rebeca Martinez)
Women's Affairs Council General Meeting - Wednesday, March 10, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., via Zoom. The Women's Affairs Council hosts interactive, discussion-based meetings to highlight global and domestic issues that women face. Students of any gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or major are welcome to share their voice on issues they are passionate about and learn more about specific topics. Topic: The impacts of voter suppression on women, especially women of color. (Women's Affairs Council, Shalini Venkat)
Notes for Marianist Sisters - Monday, March 15-Friday, March 19. Write a friendly note/letter to the Marianist Sister community in honor of Women’s History Month. All notes can be emailed to engagement@stmarytx.edu or mailed to the Office of Community Engagement. Visit https://givepul.se/6jvxqj to find more information. Co-sponsored by the Office of Community Engagement, Women’s Affairs Council & IGNITE (Iliana Mallett)
Feminism as a Theoretical Framework to Transform Our Understanding of Global Political Economy - Monday, March 15, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Presenters: Women's Role in the Border Economy. Dr. Belinda Roman, Department of Economics. Reproductive economy, Non-waged labor and Informalization in the Global Economy. Dr. Claudia Donoso, Department of Graduate International Relations. (Claudia Donoso, Ph.D. & Belinda Roman, Ph.D.)
God Talk: Trans Identity and Inclusion - Tuesday, March 16, 7:00 p.m., via Zoom. StMU Theology presents: God Talk, Trans Identity and Inclusion, with special guests from the Marianist Social Justice Collective LGBT Initiative. To receive the Zoom link for the event please email Sara Ronis, Ph.D., at sronis@stmarytx.edu.
Panel Discussion of “Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico: Portraits of Soldaderas, Saints, and Subversives” - Thursday, March 18, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Join panelists as they discuss Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico: Portraits of Soldaderas, Saints, and Subversives. This book is a compilation of moving portraits of eighteen women from Texas and Mexico who revolutionized their worlds, edited by Kathy Sosa, Ellen Riojas Clark and Jennifer Speed, with a Foreword by Dolores Huerta and an Afterword by Norma Elia Cantú. Part 1 (12:30 to 1:15 p.m.) focuses on the book and features: Jennifer Speed, Ph.D., Research Development Strategist, Office of the Dean for Research, Princeton University; Kathy Sosa, artist, educator, and documentary producer; Elaine Ayala, Metro columnist for the San Antonio Express-News; and Cristina Devereaux Ramírez, Ph.D., Program Director for the Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English (RCTE) graduate program in the Department of English, University of Arizona. Part 2 (1:15 to 2:00 p.m.) features "Emerging Research on Revolutionary Women" including StMU graduate students: Gwyn Hartung on Emma Tenayuca (mapping project based on brand-new findings heretofore untold--She attended StMU for one year!, she was a basketball and volleyball star, etc.); Edgar Velazquez on Transgressive Women in borderlands literature; Cristal Mendez on Latina teens in 1980-90s Los Angeles who organized pop culture alternatives to public education wasteland; followed by acknowledgement of other local "Revolutionary Women" research (Teresa Van Hoy, Ph.D.)
Notes for Marianist Sisters Party - Thursday, March 18, 6:00 p.m. A dedicated time for students, faculty, and staff to come together and write notes of support for the Marianist Sisters. Some of the Marianist Sisters will be joining us to tell us about their lives and the Marianist mission. Students will have the opportunity to earn volunteer hours for their notes via GivePulse. Zoom Link: https://stmarytx.zoom.us/j/96249400449 (Co-sponsored by Women’s Affairs Council & IGNITE)
Valiant Women Then and Now: Virtual Art Exhibit Featuring StMU Alumnae, Nicole Moore and Kathy Sosa - Friday, March 19, 1:00 p.m., via Zoom. Join the Valiant Women Then and Now: Virtual Art Exhibit. Illustrations by Kathy and Lionel Sosa and Photographs by Nicole Marie Moore. Art Department (Brian St. John)
Book Club: Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner?: A Story about Women and Economics by Katrine Marçal - Tuesday, March 23, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. English Literature and Language (Kathleen Maloney, Ph.D.)
Celebrate the Feast of Saint Oscar Romero: A Prayer Service - Wednesday, March 24, 4:30 p.m., Guadalupe Chapel (capacity to 35) - Óscar Romero was formally declared a martyr by Pope Francis in February 2015 and was canonized a saint on October 14, 2018 alongside Pope Paul VI. His feast day is March 24. This prayer service will be led by St. Mary’s University student prayer leaders and will include reflective music and a dramatic interpretation of one of many homilies by Romero. The service will include a tribute to four U.S. women religious martyrs who were murdered by the El Salvador National Guard nine months after the assassination of Romero (Jose de Leon). Center for Catholic Studies (Alicia Tait, Ph.D.)
Portraits and Posters - Thursday, March 25. IGNITE will be making posters (and providing posters for members in San Antonio who are willing to pick them up). They will also be listening to a podcast that matches the theme of Women's History Month. IGNITE (Erin Vento)
Blessing of the Women: Feast of the Annunciation - Thursday, March 25, 9:15 to 9:45 a.m., in-person (Barrett Bell Tower) and livestream. Special Blessings to Dean of the School of Law, Patricia E. Roberts and Dean of the Greehey School of Business, Rowena Ortiz Walters, Ph.D. The Marianist Sisters and University Ministry (Sr. Grace Walle, F.M.I. & Andrea Pascal)
The Life of Berenice, a Jewish Queen in the Roman Empire - Thursday, March 25, 12:35 to 1:50 p.m., via Zoom. Sara Ronis, Ph.D. will be presenting a talk on "Queen Berenice and the Jews under Roman Rule." Who was this visionary woman? What did she achieve in the first century CE? Join us to discover the life of Berenice, a powerful woman making the best decisions she could to save her people. Please contact sronis@stmarytx.edu to receive the Zoom link. Theology Department (Sara Ronis, Ph.D.)
Women in Law Leadership Awards Program - Thursday, March 25, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The St. Mary's School of Law Ministry and the Women's Law Association will host the Women in Law Leadership Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, March 25, in the Pecan Grove (outdoors). Women leaders within the School of Law will be recognized for their achievements. Students were nominated by faculty, staff and students. The honors include the Chief Justice (Ret.) Alma L. Lopez "Women in Law" Award, Chief Justice (Ret.) Catherine M. Stone "Rock of Justice" Award and the Chief Justice (Ret.) Sandee Bryan Marion "Excellence in Mentoring" Award. This event is limited in attendance to those nominated, nominators, faculty, staff and special guests. Social distancing guidelines will be in place and this special event will be videotaped. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the in-person program will only be open to Award recipients and program participants. (Sr. Grace Walle, F.M.I.)
Women's History Month Lecture: Walking Toward Trouble: Democracy for the 100% - Thursday, March 25, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., via Zoom. Join Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, as she addresses current realities that challenge our country as we strive to live out the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching. Center for Catholic Studies (Alicia Tait, Ph.D.)
Panel Discussion: Effects of Voting and Public Policy on Gender-Based Violence - Monday, March 29, 6:00 p.m., via Zoom. (Office of Student Advocacy and Anti-Violence Education [OSAVE], IGNITE, and Women's Affairs Council)
Book Discussion: “Sex and World Peace” by Valerie Hudson and Mary Caprioli – Tuesday, March 30, 4:00 p.m., via Zoom. World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Samantha Skory, alumna of the Graduate International Relations Program will co-host this book discussion. (Claudia Donoso)
Viewing of the Second Part of The Vote - Wednesday, March 31, 12:20 to 1:35 p.m., via Zoom. First aired in 2020 on PBS, The Vote, traces the challenges and ultimate culmination of the Women's Suffrage Movement. Join Dr. Garcia's class on Gender Politics to view the second part of the documentary and a brief discussion of the valiant women of the Movement via Zoom. Political Science (Sonia Garcia, Ph.D.)

The St. Mary's University Women's History Month facebook group provides planning information and additional details about Women's History Month activities and related events.

The 2021 St. Mary's University Women’s History Month Committee:

Faculty
Prof. Bernadette Brady; Claudia Donoso, Ph.D.; Prof. Diane Duesterhoeft; Sonia Garcia, Ph.D.; Allison Gray, Ph.D.; Todd Hanneken, Ph.D.; Camille Langston, Ph.D.; Kathleen Maloney, Ph.D.; Leona Pallansch, Ph.D.; Belinda Roman, Ph.D.; Sara Ronis, Ph.D.; Prof. Brian St. John; Teresa Van Hoy, Ph.D.; Angeli Willson, Ph.D. (Coordinator); Prof. Necia Wolff

Staff
Courtney Barrie; Kathe Lehman-Meyer; Iliana Mallett; Alicia Tait, Ph.D.; Jessica Gonzalez Uhlig, Ed.D.; Sister Grace Walle, F.M.I., Th.D.

Students
Diana Gutierrez; Andrea Pascal; Alejandra Tovar; Shalini Venkat; Erin Vento

Community
Brandi Loving; Chief Justice Rebeca Martinez

Affiliated Students, Faculty and Staff
Claudia Araiza