International Women's History Month events scheduled

Vivien Ng, associate professor of women’s studies and director of graduate studies at the University of Albany, State University of New York, will discuss Feminism in the 2000s at 7 p.m. Monday, March 12, in the Edmund S. Muskie Archives, 70 Campus Ave.

The talk is the first in a series of events sponsored by the Bates College Multicultural Center to celebrate International Women’s History Month and is co-sponsored by the women’s studies program, the Women’s Action Coalition and OUTFRONT. The public is invited to attend the talk and all other events free of charge.

A past president of the National Women’s Studies Association (1993–94) and board member of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at the City University of New York Graduate Center (1991–95), Ng also served on the board of the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation from 1989-94. She was a Mellon Fellow at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies from 1984-85 and a Rockefeller Fellow at Hunter College from 1990-91.

Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah) co-sponsored a 1981 joint congressional resolution proclaiming the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. The National Women’s History Project helped expand the celebration in 1986 to the entire month of March. Beginning in 1987, National Women’s History Month resolutions have been approved with broad bipartisan support in Congress and signed by the president.

Other events scheduled at Bates in celebration of International Women’s History Month include:

The Spelman College Choir performs under the direction of conductor Kevin Johnson, with accompanist Andrea Aiken, at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in the Bates College Chapel on College Street. The concert is co-sponsored by the music department.

Jothi Raghaven and her classical Indian dance ensemble present SRISHTI, a synthesis of Indian dance, music and poetry. The multimedia work will explore the nuanced imaging of the universe at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St. The event is co-sponsored by the International Club and the Bates Hindu Awareness Group.

The documentary film Objects of Hate, Objects of Desire, an exploration of the history and the racial and political dynamics of collecting old images of African Americans, will be screened at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, in Chase Hall Lounge, 56 Campus Ave. The film will be followed by a discussion led by Leslie Hill, associate professor of political science; Joanna Lee, director of affirmative action; and John McClendon, assistant professor of American cultural and African American studies.

Leslea Newman, noted author of Heather Has Two Mommies, reads from her work, which addresses being a lesbian and being Jewish, at 7 p.m. Monday, March 26, in the Edmund S. Muskie Archives, 70 Campus Ave. Included is her award winning story,  A Letter to Harvey Milk, recently read by Carl Reiner on National Public Radio’s series Jewish Stories from the Old World to the New. The talk is co-sponsored by women’s studies, the Women’s Action Coalition and OUTfront.