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Connection before action
When Tahira Ebrahim was brainstorming how to mark International Women’s Day at the College this year, she looked at recent movements like the Women’s March on Washington. “[It] was seen as a big leap forward in the women’s rights movement. However, that kind of diminished the work of women of colour, transgendered women who had been fighting for women’s rights for decades before,” she says.
That angle inspired the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day event, Of Grace and Frankness. Organized by Tahira, the centre liaison officer at the Intercultural Centre, this event will underline the importance of connecting with one another before moving. It invites individuals who identify as women and their allies throughout the College to come converse about sexuality, transformation, and advertising.
With Of Grace and Frankness, Tahira and her team are hoping to give these individuals a chance to meet each other and talk. The organizers have explored how power and privilege affect the exposure a movement receives, and want to let their attendees speak on behalf of all female realities. Tahira says that historically, when more marginalized groups have fought for a cause, that cause may have received less exposure, and therefore less credit, even if the movement was more pioneering. The event’s goal is to foster connection between those affected before striving for change.
Of Grace and Frankness will use clips from the first and second season of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie to initiate conversations. Tahira chose Grace and Frankie because it shows the experience of a demographic that is often overlooked in dialogues. Grace and Frankie starts when two women find out their husbands have been romantically involved for the past twenty years, forcing Grace and Frankie to confront their strained friendship to cope with their circumstances together.
Learners, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend Of Grace and Frankness. It is open to individuals who identify as women and their allies (this includes those who identify as men). The group will be limited to 20 participants to create an intimate and safe conversation. For more information, visit the event page.
Is your story waiting to be told? If you’re a learner with an interesting story, we may want to tell it on bowvalleycollege.ca. Email us at newsroom@bowvalleycollege.ca.
Posted on March 8, 2018
Story by Julie-Anne Cleyn, photo by Maximillian Krewiak
That angle inspired the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day event, Of Grace and Frankness. Organized by Tahira, the centre liaison officer at the Intercultural Centre, this event will underline the importance of connecting with one another before moving. It invites individuals who identify as women and their allies throughout the College to come converse about sexuality, transformation, and advertising.
With Of Grace and Frankness, Tahira and her team are hoping to give these individuals a chance to meet each other and talk. The organizers have explored how power and privilege affect the exposure a movement receives, and want to let their attendees speak on behalf of all female realities. Tahira says that historically, when more marginalized groups have fought for a cause, that cause may have received less exposure, and therefore less credit, even if the movement was more pioneering. The event’s goal is to foster connection between those affected before striving for change.
Of Grace and Frankness will use clips from the first and second season of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie to initiate conversations. Tahira chose Grace and Frankie because it shows the experience of a demographic that is often overlooked in dialogues. Grace and Frankie starts when two women find out their husbands have been romantically involved for the past twenty years, forcing Grace and Frankie to confront their strained friendship to cope with their circumstances together.
Learners, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend Of Grace and Frankness. It is open to individuals who identify as women and their allies (this includes those who identify as men). The group will be limited to 20 participants to create an intimate and safe conversation. For more information, visit the event page.
Is your story waiting to be told? If you’re a learner with an interesting story, we may want to tell it on bowvalleycollege.ca. Email us at newsroom@bowvalleycollege.ca.
Posted on March 8, 2018
Story by Julie-Anne Cleyn, photo by Maximillian Krewiak
